Two weeks out, Del Mar's Pacific Classic 2018 field takes shape

With two weeks to go before the Grade 1, $1 million TVG Pacific Classic, the Del Mar racing office has provided a list of eight possible runners for the 1 1/4-mile signature event of the summer meeting.

Nominations will be taken through next Thursday, August 9, and beyond that supplemental entries, at a fee of $10,000, will be accepted until the close of entries on Tuesday, August 14. So there’s time for plenty of additions or subtractions. But here’s the preliminary names in alphabetical order.

Accelerate – Last year’s third-place finisher in the Classic, the winner of both the Santa Anita Handicap and Gold Cup at Santa Anita this year, is scheduled for his penultimate work for the Classic on Sunday morning at 6:30 a.m. PT.

Assistant trainer Juan Leyva will be aboard, as he was a week earlier when Accelerate went six furlongs in 1:14.80.

“Both of them are important works,” trainer John Sadler said Saturday. “We’ll see what happens.”

Beach View – The Grade 3, 1 ½-mile Cougar II Handicap, which Beach View won on July 25 for trainer Leonard Powell, has been successfully used as prep for the Classic before, most notably by Bob Baffert with Richard’s Kid in 2009.

After the Cougar II, Powell said the Pacific Classic would be give consideration. But so will the Del Mar Handicap, on the Pacific Classic undercard, for the versatile dirt or turf runner.

Catalina Cruiser – Friday morning the San Diego Handicap winner worked four furlongs in 48 flat under Leyva for Sadler, the first significant exercise for the undefeated (3-for-3)  4-year-old since his impressive, 6 ¾-length romp in the major Pacific Classic prep.

Sadler has downplayed the possibility of running both Accelerate and Catalina Cruiser, with Accelerate holding preference, but said Saturday: “You have to list them both,” Sadler said. “It’s unlikely we would run two, but we’ll nominate both for sure.”

Catalina Cruiser is more likely to run next in Saratoga's Grade 1 Woodward.

Dr. Dorr and Mubtaahij – Baffert’s possibles worked Tuesday morning with both Dr. Dorr, second in the San Diego, and Mubtaahij, who missed the San Diego after running a temperature, clocked in 49 flat for four furlongs. Defending TVG Pacific Classic champion Collected recently shipped in to Baffert’s barn from Kentucky, but has not worked at Del Mar.

“Two weeks out and I don’t have a clue,” Baffert said Saturday when asked about his Classic candidates.

Pavel – Friday morning, the winner of the Stephen Foster Handicap in June at Churchill Downs, went five furlongs in 1:01.60 under jockey Mario Gutierrez for trainer Doug O’Neill.

“Everybody was happy with it,” said O’Neill assistant Leandro Mora. It was the third work at Del Mar for the  5-year-old son of Lookin At Lucky. “He’ll probably have one more light work, a week out from the Pacific Classic,” Mora said.

Prime Attraction – The Jim Cassidy-trained 5-year-old son of Unbridled’s Song ran a good second to Accelerate in the San Pasqual at Santa Anita in his 2018 debut and is 2-for-2 on the Del Mar main track. The versatile performer was third in the Grade II Eddie Read on Turf on July 25 and will have options other than the Classic.

Sharp Samurai – The top 3-year-old of the 2017 meeting has won six of his last nine starts, all on turf, and was beaten only a neck by Catapult in the Eddie Read. The Classic would be a bold move, but the purse and prestige make it worth considering for trainer Mark Glatt and the owning partnership.