Travers Stakes & Pacific Classic Top a Weekend Teeming with Graded Stakes

The Usual Q.T.   is a lukewarm favorite in the Pacific Classic at Del Mar. (AP Images)

A pair of prestigious 1-1/4 mile races worth $1 million apiece are scheduled for Del Mar and Saratoga on Saturday, Aug. 28 and both are supported by a long list of Graded Stakes.

The $1 million Pacific Classic has attracted last year’s winner, RICHARD’S KID, and the Hollywood Gold Cup winner, AWESOME GEM, as well as DAKOTA PHONE, BATTLE OF HASTINGS and ISLE OF GIANT’S, the first, second and fourth place finishers in the San Diego Handicap at Del Mar on July 31. Also in the field is THE USUAL Q. T., a lukewarm favorite off his good win in the G-1 Eddie Read on the Del Mar Turf on July 24. Will he convert that form to the Polytrack?

TEMPLE CITY and UNUSUAL SUSPECT, the 1-2 finishers in the Cougar II Handicap at 1-1/2 miles at Del Mar on July 20, are also  entered in the Classic; as is the European import CROWDED HOUSE, who was fourth in his American debut in the Eddie Read. And it is most intriguing that Billy Mott has shipped HOLD ME BACK, a recent winner in Canada at the Pacific Classic distance, who also was a good second in the 10 furlong Travers last summer.

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Speaking of the $1 million Travers Stakes, we will not see division leader LOOKIN AT LUCKY. But quite like the Pacific Classic, we will see just about every other leading 3-year-old still in training.

There is SUPER SAVER and ICE BOX, the 1-2 finishers in the Kentucky Derby; TRAPPE SHOT, FIRST DUDE and AFLEET AGAIN, who finished second, third and fifth behind Lookin At Lucky in the Haskell at Monmouth Park on Aug. 1. There will also be A LITTLE WARM, MINER’S RESERVE, AFLEET EXPRESS, FRIEND OR FOE and FLY DOWN   -- the top five finishers in the Jim Dandy over the track back on July 31. There is even ADMIRAL ALEX, an impressive   winner of a locally run nine furlong maiden race in his only career start.

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There is plenty of early speed in this Pacific Classic Stakes to set up a stretch running winner. There is plenty of speed in the Travers Stakes to do the same. Speaking of speed, there are plenty of horses with front running tendencies scheduled to compete in Del Mar’s $300,000 Pat O’Brien at  seven furlongs and in the three sprint stakes on the Travers undercard at Saratoga: The  six furlong Victory Ride; the  seven furlong Kings’ Bishop, and  seven furlong Ballerina Stakes.
 
In the Pat O’Brien, the favorite may be SMILING TIGER, a perfect trip, wire to wire winner of the  six furlong Bing Crosby on Aug. 1; but Bob Baffert’s EZ ”˜s GENTLEMAN has a chance to reverse the verdict with more expected pressure on the favorite. Frankly, the most intriguing horse in the O’Brien is John Sadler’s absentee CROWN OF THORNS, who was beaten a lip in the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Sprint last fall and has been training strongly for his first race since that tough defeat.

At Saratoga, the King’s Bishop for 3-year-old sprinters looks to be a near match race between DISCREETLY MINE and D’FUNNYBONE, but speedy BULLDOGGER, Derby Trial winner HURRICANE IKE and undefeated BANK MERGER cannot be taken too lightly.

 In the Ballerina at the same seven furlong distance for fillies and mares, 2009 Filly and Mare Sprint champion INFORMED DECISION meets a contentious field that includes six fillies who finished in the top three of their most recent outings.

In the  six furlong Victory Ride for 3-year-old fillies, half the field has extremely precocious   front running tendencies while the other half is dominated by stretch running types. In other words, we can expect to see a battle royal in the final furlong in a race that annually has produced some of the wildest finishes of the meet.

From top to bottom, from one coast to another, Saturday Aug. 28 is shaping up as a most enjoyable Horseplayer’s Smorgasbord, a veritable feast of great races!

For dessert, how about 2009 Horse of the Year RACHEL ALEXANDRA meeting LIFE AT TEN in the 1-1/4 mile, Personal Ensign at Saratoga on Sunday. Rachel is a great filly for sure, but LIFE AT TEN   cpomes into this race with six straight victories, including three Graded stakes.

The dinner bell is ringing; come and get some.

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