'Strong chance' Campaign goes on to Del Mar's Pacific Classic

Trainer John Sadler said Wednesday, after Del Mar's $100,000 Cougar II Handicap, that race winner Campaign could be headed next to the meet's centerpiece, the Grade 1, $1 million TVG Pacific Classic at a mile and one-quarter on August 17.

Woodford Racing’s distance-loving 3-5 favorite closed resolutely under Rafael Bejarano to overhaul Itsinthepost in the final sixteenth.

“This horse is such a stayer there’s a very strong chance he’ll go in the Pacific Classic," Sadler said. "Rafael said he was kind of lethargic on kind of a hot and sticky day. But even though he runs from way back he can close even into a slow pace. We thought he would get up in the last part, and he did.”



Far back as usual in the early stages of the mile and one-half contest over the main track, Campaign kept to his task under Bejarano’s urging to score by a length and one-quarter in 2:32.36.

Itsinthepost, making his dirt track debut after a successful career campaigning on grass, ran a game race under Drayden Van Dyke, taking the lead entering the stretch before being overtaken by the winner. Third, twelve lengths farther back, was For the Top, who set the pace, with Morse Code fourth in the field of five older horses.

“I had to get busy with him today at the six (furlong marker)," Bejarano said. "The fractions were so slow and I knew I had to move up. And I knew that No. 2 (Itsinthepost) is a good horse and I didn’t want him to get too far away. But this horse always does it. He did it again today.”

Campaign, a 4-year-old son of Curlin, scored his fifth victory in 10 starts and paid $3.40, $2.40 and $2.10 while earning a prize of $60,000. Runner-up Itsinthepost returned $3 and $2.60, while For the Top paid $2.40 to show.

Campaign was also victorious in the Tokyo City Handicap at Santa Anita at the Cougar distance in mid-April.

Now Sadler could have two Pacific Classic contenders with Catalina Cruiser also possible to stretch out after his 1 1/16-mile defense of last Saturday's San Diego Handicap (G2). Seeking the Soul and Quip, 1-2 in Churchill Downs' Stephen Foster (G2) in June, are also likely to ship for the race, a "Win and You're In" toward the Breeders' Cup Classic.