Daily Racing Form National Digital Edition
Pavel points to Pacific Classic
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Pavel could make his next start in the Grade 1 Pacific Classic on Aug. 18 at Del Mar, as trainer Doug O’Neill starts looking ahead to the Breeders’ Cup with his latest stable star.
Pavel, with Mario Gutierrez riding for O’Neill and owner Paul Reddam, thrashed a solid group of older horses Saturday night at Churchill Downs in the Grade 1 Stephen Foster Handicap, earning an automatic Win and You’re In berth to the Nov. 3 BC Classic at Churchill.
O’Neill said Monday from California that Pavel probably won’t race again prior to the 1 1/4-mile Pacific Classic, but added, “I guess that could change.”
Pavel earned a 101 Beyer Speed Figure with his breakthrough victory, which came amid sweltering heat on a night otherwise highlighted by four other graded stakes and a victory parade for the newly minted Triple Crown winner Justify.
Meanwhile, the two favorites in the 1 1/8-mile Foster did not fare nearly as well as Pavel, who prevailed as the 6-1 third choice. Backyard Heaven, the 4-5 favorite for Chad Brown, was sixth despite a great trip, while Irish War Cry, the 7-2 second choice, was eased on the far turn.
“Extremely disappointed,” Brown said Sunday morning. “It was a lost opportunity in a race where he had a beautiful trip on a track we know he likes. I hate to bring up the excuse of the heat because every horse has to run under the same conditions, but I’m hoping it was just a matter of that.”
Brown said Backyard Heaven, who returned Monday to Belmont Park, scoped clean and was sound. Brown said if Backyard Heaven “comes back and trains like a star again,” he will consider running him in the Grade 1 Whitney at Saratoga on Aug. 4.
“I’m not going to hold one race against him,” Brown said. “But if he doesn’t train well, then I’ll know something’s gone amiss with the horse, so I’ll really have to focus on that.”
Irish War Cry’s trainer, Graham Motion, said the colt was overcome by apparent heat exhaustion and should be fine going forward.
Blue Prize eyes Personal Ensign
Trainer Ignacio Correas said he is taking a long view on the rest of the year for Blue Prize, who earned a Win and You’re In berth into the Nov. 3 Breeders’ Cup Distaff with her 1 1/2-length triumph Saturday night in the Grade 2 Fleur de Lis Handicap.
Correas said he intends to run Blue Prize in the Grade 1 Personal Ensign at Saratoga on Aug. 25, then the Oct. 7 Spinster at her Keeneland home base and the BC Distaff at Churchill Downs. Blue Prize earned a 94 Beyer. Other trainers who enjoyed a big night were Brad Cox, who saddled three winners, including Mr. Misunderstood (100 Beyer) in the Grade 2 Wise Dan and Beyond Blame (87 Beyer) in the Grade 3 Regret, and Dale Romans, who had the 1-2 finishers in the Grade 3 Matt Winn in King Zachary (98 Beyer) and Tiz Mischief.
Florent Geroux was the riding star with four wins, including the Wise Dan and Regret, while Robby Albarado had three wins, including the Matt Winn.
Handle record set
The 11-race Stephen Foster card drew $10,694,069 in allsources handle Saturday, establishing a handle record for a Downs After Dark card. The former high mark among the 47 night cards held at Churchill since 2009 was $9,400,176, set last year on Foster night.
Ontrack attendance was 21,053, well off the corresponding 2015 date, when 28,968 turned out to see American Pharoah, the first Triple Crown winner in 37 years. The all-time night-card attendance mark is 38,142, set in April 2011.
Handle on the all-stakes pick five (races 5-9) Saturday night was $402,174, with each 50-cent winner returning $14,237.
Baffert horses head home
Not only did assistant trainer Jimmy Barnes send Justify back home Sunday to California, but the small string he maintained here for Bob Baffert since late April also has left Churchill.
Baffert had 15 starts at the meet, winning the Kentucky Derby with Justify and an allowance with American Anthem. His stable earnings of $1,563,131 remain tops among all trainers, followed by $1,442,045 for Brad Cox.
Barnes showed uncommon patience and grace with a virtually endless stream of visitors on a daily basis. His calm demeanor during stressful times did not go unnoticed by media, fellow horsemen, and tourists alike.
“It’s been great here in Louisville,” Barnes told Churchill publicity before leaving. “We’re excited to get back home, but hopefully we’ll be back later this year,” prior to the Nov. 2-3 Breeders’ Cup.
4-day week starts Thursday
The last four-day race week of the spring meet starts with a Thursday card highlighted by one allowance (race 7) and the first turf race for 2-yearolds (race 5) in Kentucky this year. Both are part of a Single 6 sequence (races 3-8) that offers a carryover jackpot of $13,982. First post for the eight-race card is 5 p.m. Eastern.
The 5 1/2-furlong turf race for 2-year-old maiden colts and geldings will be followed Friday by the first turf race here this year for 2-year-old fillies.
The highlight of the coming weekend at Churchill is the $75,000 Roxelana, a six-furlong race for fillies and mares Saturday. The meet runs through June 30, with Ellis Park starting a 31-day meet the following day.
Jockeys’ race tightens up
Slowly but surely, perennial leading jockey Corey Lanerie has closed the gap atop the spring-meet standings on Brian Hernandez Jr., who has led from early on. With just seven of 38 programs left, Hernandez holds a 36-35 lead over Lanerie, who has been the top rider at all but two Churchill meets since spring 2012.
Among trainers, Steve Asmussen leads Brad Cox 22-17.