UNITED WIN SETS UP CLASSIC BATTLE

DEL MAR

United and jockey Flavien Prat make a formidable team on the turf.

Now they might take on Maximum Security on the dirt Aug. 22 in the premier event of the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club season — the $500,000 Pacific Classic.

Hall of Fame trainer Richard Mandella hinted strongly Sunday that United would go in the Pacific Classic after the 5year-old son of Giant’s Causeway finished a half-length ahead of fast-closing Sharp Samurai to win a third straight Grade II turf stakes this year — the $200,000 Eddie Read Stakes.

“This horse is training so well on the dirt, month after month, that I’m going to consider running him in the Pacific Classic,” said Mandella.

“I’ve been thinking all summer about it. We’ll think about the Del Mar Handicap on turf, too, but if he keeps running on dirt as well as he has been ...”

United has made 12 of his 14 career starts on the turf. The other two came on synthetic surfaces.

Sunday, the gelding and Prat continued an impressive run.

Winning the the 11⁄8-mile Read gave the United-prat combination four wins in eight turf races over the last 14 months — including 3-for-3 this year. The duo won the Charlie Whittingham Stakes in May and the San Marcos Stakes in February, both at Santa Anita.

They also were overtaken at the wire to finish second to last year’s Horse of the Year, Bricks and Mortar, in the Breeders’ Cup Turf last November at Santa Anita.

In the Read, United broke second and stalked Neptune’s Storm from the outside for the first mile before charging into the lead. The 7-5 favorite, United paid $5.40 after finishing in 1:46.71.

“The race came up perfect,” said Prat, who rode four winners Sunday — including Galilean in the $125,000 California Dreamin Stakes — to move past Umberto Rispoli into the jockey lead.

“United broke real well and we got a great spot. We went along fine and when I asked him, he just went on with it. When you ride a really good horse like this, it makes things easier. Good horses do good things. They put you in good spots. It’s all easier with this kind.”

Security update

Trainer Bob Baffert said Maximum Security was “good” the morning after winning the San Diego Handicap by a nose over Midcourt.

“It’s a good starting point,” said Baffert. “We learned a lot about the horse. Now we’re caught up and we’re ready to go.”

But Baffert said the Woodward Stakes at Saratoga is also a possible next stop for Maximum Security as well as the Pacific Classic. Both races are $500,000 Grade I events, although the Woodward is two weeks later.

“The Pacific Classic or the Woodward depending,” said Baffert. “But I like the Pacific Classic.”