Donworth and Curlin Road breeze for Pacific Classic
Donworth and Curlin Road, trainer Doug O’Neill’s pair for the $1 million TVG Pacific Classic, both breezed six furlongs on Friday morning.
Donworth, runner-up in the San Diego Handicap, was timed in 1:14.20 with interim fractions of :25.60, :38.20 and 1:02.20, galloping out seven furlongs in 1:27.40 under regular rider Mario Gutierrez. Curlin Road, working in company with Mopotism was timed in 1:12.80 under Flavien Prat.
Arrogate, Accelerate and Songbird are scheduled to have final Pacific Classic tune-ups over the weekend. Plans are for Songbird to hit the track at 5 a.m. on Sunday, followed by Accelerate at 6:30. Arrogate will complete his Classic preparation Monday morning at 7:45.
THEIR BREEDERS’ CUP RUNNETH OVER FOR DEL MAR 2017
Del Mar hosts the 34th running of the Breeders’ Cup World Championships on November 3-4. It consists of 13 races with purses totaling more than $28 million over the two days capped by the $2 million Longines Breeders’ Cup Distaff on Friday, November 3 and the $6 million Breeders’ Cup Classic on Saturday, November 4.
A victory in a “Win and You’re In” Challenge series race, of which there are 81 from January to October, guarantees a spot in a Breeders’ Cup race and other considerations.
Here are the horses who have qualified to date.
| Winner | Race | Date | BC Division |
|---|---|---|---|
| Legal Eagle | L’Ormarins Queens Plate Kenilworth, South Africa | January 7 | Mile |
| Bela-Bela | Main Chance Farms Paddock Kenilworth, South Africa | January 7 | F&M Turf |
| Gold Dream | February Stakes Tokyo, Japan | February 19 | Classic |
| Chautauqua | Darley TJ Smith Stakes Randwick, Australia | April 1 | Turf Sprint |
| Somewhat | Star Doncaster Mile Randwick, Australia | April 1 | Mile |
| Foxplay | Queen of the Turf Randwick, Australia | April 1 | F&M Turf |
| Kiriaki | Gran Premio Criadores Palermo, Argentina | May 1 | Distaff |
| Ordak Dan | Grab Premio 25 de Mayo Palermo, Argentina | May 25 | Turf |
| Top Casablanca | Hipico de Santiago Falabella Club Hipico de Santiago, Chile | May 28 | Mile |
| Bal a Bali | Shoemaker Mile Santa Anita | June 3 | Mile |
| Satono Aladdin | Yasuda Kinen Tokyo, Japan | June 4 | Mile |
| Mor Spirit | Metropolitan Mile Belmont Park, N.Y. | June 10 | Dirt Mile |
| Songbird | Ogden Phipps Belmont Park, N.Y. | June 10 | Distaff |
| Voador Magee | Grande Premio Brasil Hippodromo de Gavea, Brazil | June 11 | Turf |
| Forever Unbridled | Fleur de Lis Churchill Downs, Ky. | June 17 | Distaff |
| Gun Runner | Stephen Foster Churchill Downs, Ky. | June 17 | Classic |
| Satono Crown | Takarazuka Kinen Hanshin, Japan | June 25 | Turf |
| Birdie Gold | Gran Premio Pamplona Hippodomo de Monterrico, Peru | June 25 | F&M Turf |
| Curlin’s Approval | Princess Rooney Gulfstream Park, Fla. | July 1 | F&M Sprint |
| Imperial Hint | Smile Sprint Stakes Gulfstream Park, Fla. | July 1 | Sprint |
| Green Mask | Highlander Stakes Woodbine, Canada | July 2 | Turf Sprint |
| Mind Your Biscuits | Belmont Sprint Championship Belmont Park, N.Y. | July 8 | Sprint |
| Enable | King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Ascot, England | July 29 | Turf |
| Ransom The Moon | Bing Crosby Del Mar | July 29 | Sprint |
| Girvin | Haskell Invitational Monmouth Park, N.J. | July 30 | Classic |
| Stellar Wind | Clement L. Hirsch Del Mar | July 30 | Distaff |
| Here Comes When | Quatar Sussex Goodwood, England | August 2 | Mile |
| Gun Runner | Whitney Saratoga, N.Y. | August 5 | Classic |
There are two “Win and You’re In” races on Saturday at Arlington Park in Chicago. The Beverly D is a qualifier for the $2 million Filly & Mare Turf, the Arlngton Million for the $4 million Longines Breeders’ Cup Turf. Both are on Saturday, November 4.
CLOSERS – Selected works from 139 officially timed Friday morning: Miss Sunset (4f, :49.40), Ann Arbor Eddie (5f, 1:00.60), Mrs McDougall (5f, 1:00.40), Curlin Road (6f, 1:12.80), Donworth (6f, 1:14.20), Irap (6f, 1:13.40), Mopotism (6f, 1:12.60), Noted and Quoted (6f, 1:12.20) and Paradise Woods (7f, 1:25.60).
Source: Del Mar Thoroughbred Club