NEWS
Richard’s Kid poised for Pacific Classic repeat bid
Posted: Wednesday, August 25, 2010 9:46 AM
RICHARD'S KID
Benoit & Associates photo
by Steve Schuelein
Last year’s winner Richard’s Kid drew post six in a field of ten Tuesday night at the Rancho Valencia Resort in Rancho Santa Fe for the $1-million Pacific Classic Stakes (G1) at the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club Saturday.
“Same horse; same result, I hope,” Racing Hall of Fame jockey Mike Smith said of his reunion with the five-year-old horse for the first time since they teamed to pull off a 24.40-to-1 upset in the race last year at 1 1/4 miles on Polytrack.
Richard’s Kid has had six starts with three different jockeys and an owner change since the race last year. He has recorded two bullet workouts at Del Mar since prepping for this race with a third-place finish in the Cougar II Handicap (G3) on July 30 at Del Mar for Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert.
“The post is perfect,” added Smith. “He comes from out of it anyway. I’ll just take back and drop over.” Richard’s Kid seeks to join Tinners Way and Skimming as the only repeat winners in the 20-year history of the race. The winer will earn an automatic berth in the Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) as part of the Breeders' Cup Challenge "Win and You're In" series.
Oddsmaker Russell Hudak established Richard’s Kid as the 7-to-2 second choice on the morning line behind The Usual Q.T., the 3-to-1 favorite from the outside post under Victor Espinoza.
The Usual Q.T., a four-year-old gelding who has won eight of his last nine turf starts, will try to prove that his last outing on synthetic—a ninth-place finish as the favorite in the Sunshine Millions Classic in January on Pro-Ride at Santa Anita—was an aberration.
“It wasn’t the surface at all,” said Jim Cassidy, trainer of the The Usual Q.T. “It was the way the race set up. He was a little rank and didn’t settle the way he usually does.”
The California-bred son of Unusual Heat has won two Grade 1 stakes on turf, including the Eddie Read Stakes here on July 24.
The Pacific Classic, the only $1-million race in California this year, is scheduled for 4:45 p.m. PDT. All starters will carry 124 pounds.
Awesome Gem, upset winner of the Hollywood Gold Cup Handicap (G1) in his last start July 10, will make his fourth start in the Pacific Classic.
“He always runs his race and doesn’t have to take his track with him,” said trainer Craig Dollase of the seven-year-old Awesome Again gelding, second in this race in 2007.
Temple City, a five-year-old horse, appeared to be a star on the rise after a front-running victory in the 1 1/2-mile Cougar II.
“It’s quite a leap from a Grade 3, but he’s doing well and relishes this track,” said trainer Carla Gaines.
Hold Me Back, the only shipper for the race, arrived Monday afternoon from Belmont Park with Leana Williford, assistant to Bill Mott. The Hall of Fame trainer hopes the four-year-old colt duplicates the performance of Go Between, who was shipped west to win this race in 2008.
Hold Me Back’s jockey, Garrett Gomez, has won the race a record four times.
The Pacific Classic headlines a stakes tripleheader that also includes the $300,000 Pat O’Brien Stakes (G2) at seven furlongs on the main track and the $250,000 Del Mar Mile (G2) on turf.
Completing the field is Battle of Hastings (GB), Isle of Giant’s, Dakota Phone, Unusual Suspect, and Crowded House (GB).
Steve Schuelein is a Southern California correspondent of Thoroughbred Times
August 28, $1,000,000, 3yo & up, 1 1/4M, Del Mar, 4:30 PM PT
| Post |
Horse |
Sire |
Weight |
Jockey |
Trainer |
| 1 |
Battle of Hastings (GB) 4, g. |
Royal Applause (GB) |
124 |
Brice Blanc |
Jeff Mullins |
| 2 |
Isle of Giant's 5, g. |
Giant's Causeway |
124 |
Patrick Valenzuela |
Ben Cecil |
| 3 |
Dakota Phone 5, g. |
Zavata |
124 |
Joel Rosario |
Jerry Hollendorfer |
| 4 |
Temple City 5, h. |
Dynaformer |
124 |
Rafael Bejarano |
Carla Gaines |
| 5 |
Unusual Suspect 6, h. |
Unusual Heat |
124 |
Alonso Quinonez |
Barry Abrams |
| 6 |
Richard's Kid 5, h. |
Lemon Drop Kid |
124 |
Mike Smith |
Bob Baffert |
| 7 |
Hold Me Back 4, c. |
Giant's Causeway |
124 |
Garrett Gomez |
William Mott |
| 8 |
Crowded House (GB) 4, c. |
Rainbow Quest |
124 |
Corey Nakatani |
Ben Cecil |
| 9 |
Awesome Gem 7, g. |
Awesome Again |
124 |
David Flores |
Craig Dollase |
| 10 |
The Usual Q. T. 4, g. |
Unusual Heat |
124 |
Victor Espinoza |
James Cassidy |
READER COMMENTS
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Posted by: Frank, New Orleans, LA on August 28, 2010 at 08:13 PM
Great ride by Mike Smith on Richard's Kid to win back to back Pacific Classics. I'm really impressed with how well Crowded House is making the transition from the turf in Great Britain to the synthetics in America. This colt ran huge at Del-Mar today. He's got an outstanding turn of foot. Actually ran very well on synthetics over in Dubai. Beaten a nose by Allybar in on the Tapeta at Meydan in the Al Maktoum Challenge Rd.2. Crowded House was a G1 winner as a 2yr.old in 08'. Winning the Racing Post Trophy at Doncaster with an explosive turn of foot. Beating Jukebox Jury that day. I really believe Crowded House is going to become a Graded Stakes winner very soon in America.
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Posted by: Bob, Richmond, VA on August 28, 2010 at 06:14 PM
I think the Pacific Classic is a pretty wide open race. A number of really good horses capable of winning this race. Richard's Kid obviously likes the surface at Del-Mar as he showed in winning last year's Pacific Classic. Awesome Gem surprised everyone by beating Rail Trip in the Hollywood Gold Cup. But Del-Mar is a much different track surface than Hollywood Park is. So I think Awesome Gem is "iffy." Dakota Phone just won his last start at Del-Mar is and is racing very well. The horse from Great Britain, Crowded House, if he run's to the kind of form he's capable of could be a real player. But on form, I think The Usual Q.T. will prove the horse for all of them to beat. JMO.
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Posted by: Amazed, Palm Beach, FL on August 28, 2010 at 09:55 AM
John, most of the horses that Rachel Alexandra beat in the Woodward were G1 winners when she beat them as a THREE year old FILLY. She dusted Summer Bird in ,who beat Quality Road, in the Haskell and on their preferred surface. Plus, her track and stakes records span across generations! Too bad for you that it is in the books.
What's sad is when you research what 'Z' was doing at two and three years old....nothing. She missed all of the most Historical races. As a matter of fact, she should've been in the Pacific Classic. Do I think she can win? Yes, but she's not there so there is doubt.
My dear, the BC is not a historical race as of now (come on 26 years???). The dirt horses she beat, on the synthetic track, were tired from true competition through the year.
This article is about the Pacific Classic, which is held in California, and Zenyatta should've been there. No excuses. Again, her campaign is not one of an undefeated horse. Or maybe it is...
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Posted by: John, somerset, KY on August 26, 2010 at 06:32 PM
afleetalexlover from Little Rock, Arkansas. What's even sadder is this so called "allegedly great 3yr.old filly" who beat these such great G1 Woodward horses. Horses that both regressed along with the 3yr.old filly at the speed of light. Passed on the Breeders Cup Classic. And even more embarrassingly, passed on an "AGREED UPON" race on her preferred surface at Oaklawn that could've set the record straight about which of the two was the better? Macho Again and Bullsbay both never came anywhere close to winning another race after that Woodward. Just look at what just the two Euro horses alone that Zenyatta beat in the 2009 Classic have accomplished so far in 2010. Rip Van Winkle. 2nd in the G1 Sussex Stakes. Just won the G1 Juddmonte International Stakes. Twice Over. 2nd in the G1 Prince of Wales Stakes. Won the G1 Coral-Eclipse Stakes. 2nd to Rip Van Winkle in the G1 Juddmonte International Stakes. Awesome Gem. Just defeated Rail Trip to win the G1 Hollywood Gold Cup. Gio Ponti. Won the G1 Man O'War Stakes. 2nd in the G1 Arlington Million. Yeah boy. Macho Again and Bullsbay really tower over these horses. LOL. Sale crazy somewhere else slick. We're all stocked up here!! LOL.
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Posted by: Frank, New Orleans, LA on August 26, 2010 at 06:19 PM
There's a number of horses that have the potential to win this race if they run their race? The Usual Q.T. is the favorite, and I think rightfully so. But a win for him in the Pacific Classic is not a given. Dakota Phone and Battle of Hastings both just ran very well in the San Diego Handicap at Del-Mar. With Dakota Phone winning and Battle of Hastings finishing 2nd. Richard's Kid relished this track and distance in the 2009 Pacific Classic. So he's also a big threat. Awesome Gem is coming off of his biggest career win ever. Winning the G1 Hollywood Gold Cup, and upsetting Rail Trip in the process. Another that if the real ability of the horse shows up that could be dangerous is the recent invader from Great Britain, Crowded House. Who's raced primarily on turf in the UK. But ran a couple of outstanding efforts on the Tapeta surface at Meydan during the Dubai racing carnival. If it's their day? Any one of these horses I've listed are all certainly capable of winning the Pacific Classic. But it's my opinion that The Usual Q.T. will be the most difficult to beat in the race.
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