Pacific Classic Day Recap!
- Updated: August 21, 2018
Photo by Casey Phillips/Eclipse Sportswire
Pacific Classic (G1)
It is quite befuddling to think that with a million dollar purse on the line only 7 horses show up. We tried to beat Accelerate with Prime Attraction, who dueled and then hung on well for 3rd but the former rival was just too good and crushed this field drawing away by over 12 lengths. This sets up an interesting match up between Diversify and Accelerate in the Breeders’ Cup Classic.
Multiple Super Screener suggested Trifecta wagers hit but the result was ultra chalky in a race that was quite uninteresting from a wagering perspective.
Del Mar Handicap (G2)
Flavien Prat caught this field napping as they ran quite slow for a mile, as projected, and he snuck up on the unwary leaders and blew right by them in an explosive move as the Super Screener Top Value play. He clearly did not need more pace to be effective here. Here’s what the Super Screener had to say about this D’Amato-trained horse:
“If there was more pace in this race, the top Super Screener win pick would have been #12 Fashion Business…the best of the three entered here by D’Amato. He’s a deep closer that would definitely benefit from more pace and hopefully his stablemate, #1 Kenjisstorm will deliver on that front. Note that Flavien Prat, the regular rider on #1 Kenjisstorm, opts for #12 Fashion Business. This lightly raced 4 year-old gelding is coming into this race in great form sporting a positive form cycle progression that started last year. He is making just his 4th start of the year and another move forward is anticipated. A must include in your wagers.”
A Super Screener Top Long Shot pick, Ya Gotta Wanna, also trained by Phil D’Amato, lit up the board at explosive odds of 45-1 while the Super Screener 2nd choice, Multiplier, completed the nearly $1,400 Trifecta. Flipping the bottom two tiers of this suggested Trifecta ticket would have gotten the job done…very frustrating especially with the longest shot on the board pulled out from the rest of the long shots as a viable “under” contender.
Del Mar Oaks (G1)
Fatale Bere woke up here and repeated her race from the Breeders’ Cup Fillies Turf which resulted in a narrow victory over the once again, very game, Ollie’s Candy.
Colonia as the Super Screener Top Win pick disappointed some with Joel Rosario, who had a great day overall, inexplicably took Colonia to dead last and ran on with interest in the end but way too far back to impact the Exotics. Ms Bad Behavior continued her incredible board-hitting streak by completing the Superfecta at 7-1.
Lake Placid (G2)
The Super Screener Win pick, Rushing Fall, and the Super Screener Top Value pick, Capla Temptress at 10-1, finished 1-2 and paid over $43 for a $2 Exacta wager. The pace was quite dawdling and as a result Capla Temptress ran what turned out to be a very good race coming from the back and showing a sharp turn of foot to clearly grab the 2nd place finish. She is coming into form at the right time and will be dangerous for Mott in the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf.
Alabama (G1)
The projected pace was estimated to be “soft with modest pressure”…when they tripped the timer at 22 2/5 and 46 3/5, the pace was anything but soft. The Super Screener top two picks, She’s a Julie and Talk Veuve to Me went to the front cutting those swift fractions. That opened the door for Eskimo Kisses who came from last to first and then drew away, impressively, at 9-1. She’s a Julie ran a very tough race having been part of that hot pace but dug in and held her ground tenaciously. We’ll be following this one as she is super solid.
While the Super Screener missed the opportunity presented by Eskimo Kisses due to the faster pace set up, we did successfully take a stand against the odds-on favorite, Midnight Bisou, as this added ground became a question mark.
Rightfully so, this year’s edition of the Travers Stakes has been long anticipated and the prospective huge field being assembled is tremendous. Good Magic is the headliner, but former Triple Crown runners such as Mendelssohn, Tenfold, Bravazo, Vino Rosso and Gronkowski will all be in this race to amend prior defeats. You have the added intrigue of the filly, Wonder Gadot, added to this field and the resurgent, Catholic Boy, who will continue to be better on turf. The G1 Forego and the G1 Sword Dancer stakes are coming up strong as well so we close the best of summer racing with a bang. Don’t miss a single moment of Saratoga’s biggest day.
Until next weekend, Go Fast and Win!
Mike
