Del Mar Archives
 Pleasantly Perfect © 2003 Dave Shields |
Perfect So far he has been an unsung hero in the racing world. Pleasantly Perfect, who pushed himself to be the fifth leading money earner of all time with a win in the Pacific Classic, is consistent, has been running for more than six months, and keeps winning, time and time again. The six-year-old son of Pleasant Colony turned heads for the first time when he won the 2002 Goodwood Breeders' Cup Handicap at Santa Anita, but couldn't run in the Breeders' Cup that year due to medication rules. A year later he returned with another win in the Goodwood, and then took the Classic. In January he won the San Antonio Handicap, and then on the greatest stage in the world he took the Dubai World Cup in one of the best performances of the year. |
That wasn't enough to convince all handicappers, however, as he lost his return in the San Diego Handicap to the up and coming Choctaw Nation. Redemption would be his in the Pacific Classic, a $1 million grade one race, where Pleasantly Perfect, trained by Richard Mandella, put in a powerful run to win. He is now aiming for perhaps a third Goodwood win, and also another Breeders' Cup Classic.
Perfect Drift, a game warrior, finished second, and Total Impact was gritty in his own right, running strongly throughout to be third. Choctaw Nation was fourth and During fifth.
Roman Ruler Falls, Top two-year-old Roman Ruler escaped injury on Saturday when he flipped over at the end of a gallop at Del Mar and pinned his exercise rider, Dana Barnes, underneath him. The son of Fusaichi Pegasus is trained by Bob Baffert. Fusaichi Pegasus had a history of flipping on the
track as well. Roman Ruler is being considered for the Kentucky
Cup Juvenile, the Champagne Stakes, or the Lane's End Breeders'
Futurity. Dana Barnes was taken to the hospital for x-rays. |
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 Action This Day Back on Track © 2004 Emily Hufford |
Action This Day
Returns Action This Day, the champion two-year-old of last year, has returned to the racetrack under the care of trainer Richard Mandella. The three-year-old son of Kris S last raced in the Kentucky Derby, where he finished sixth of eighteen as a longshot. This year, Action This Day started three other times, finishing fourth in the Sham Stakes and seventh in the San Felipe Stakes, both at Santa Anita, and then sixth in the Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland before his Kentucky Derby run. He has been battling an injured back throughout much of the spring, an injury which trainer Mandella believes may have been caused when another horse stumbled and knocked into Acion This Day in the San Felipe. He has yet to return to his Breeders' Cup Juvenile-winning form, however, Action This Day has returned to Del Mar after a layoff at a farm in Southern California. He is owned by B. Wayne Hughes. |
 Roman Ruler Wins the Best Pal © 2004 Emily Hufford |
Roman
Ruler Wins the Best Pal Top two-year-old Roman Ruler won the Best Pal Stakes (gr. II) at Del Mar on Sunday, avoiding catastrophe and overcoming a slow start. Breaking behind the field, Roman Ruler was putting in a good run when Wetherly, who had been running in third, broke down. Roman Ruler was able to avoid the fallen horse and make a huge run down the stretch to draw clear without being urged. Roman Ruler's easy victory reminded some of another Bob Baffert-trained two-year-old, Officer, who also won the Best Pal with commanding ease. Roman Ruler is owned by Fog City Stable and was ridden to victory by Corey Nakatani. He finished seven lengths ahead of his stablemate, Actxecutive. |
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"Rock" Feeling His Oats
Again Three-year-old heart-throb Rock Hard Ten is reported
to be feeling better after his bout with copious mucus, otherwise
known as an allergy or cough, and was shipped back to his home in
California on Sunday. A winner of three out of seven starts, Rock Hard Ten has earned $610,380 for owners Mercedes Stables and Madeleine Paulson. |
Kela Upsets Pico Central Pico Central (Brz) came into the grade 2 Pat O'Brien at Del Mar on Sunday with the resume of a hopeful champion, but left with his bubble deflated as he could do no better than third behind Kela, who won his second straight sprint stakes race in an upset. A three-horse speed duel up front, which included Pico Central, was to Kela's advantage as he swung by the leaders to draw clear by 4 1/2 lengths under Tyler Baze. Now Kela is a top contender for the Breeders' Cup Sprint, especially with a big stakes win in the Texas Mile at Lone Star Park already under his belt. He is trained by Mike Mitchell. Domestic Dispute finished second, just nipping Pico Central on the wire. Marino Marini, Disturbingthepeace, and Amerindio were all scratched. |
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 Colonial Colony After the Stephen Foster © 2004 Laura Ferguson |
Colonial Colony
Headed West Colonial Colony, who was a huge upset winner of the Stephen Foster Handicap (gr. I) this year, will run at Del Mar for the Pacific Classic (gr. I) on Sunday, August 22. The field was hit hard when one of the top choices, Even the Score, had to be withdrawn due to injury. Now there looks to be five entrants, including the 2003 Breeders' Cup Classic winner Pleasantly Perfect and the horse who defeated him last time out, undefeated Choctaw Nation. Also joining the field is Hollywood Gold Cup (gr. I) winner Total Impact and multiple stakes winner During. Colonial Colony is trained by Walter Binder. |
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She's Inspiring Two-year-old filly Inspiring, hailing from the barn of Bob Baffert, won the Sorrento Stakes at Del Mar on Saturday. It was her stakes debut and she is now undefeated in two starts. Inspiring is a daughter of Golden Missle and is out of the good stakes mare Arches of Gold. She defeated Souvenir Gift in the Sorrento, who had previously been undefeated. Hello Lucky was third. Inspiring is owned by Bob and Beverly Lewis and was ridden in the Sorrento by David Flores. Baffert also won with the two-year-old maiden Fusaichi Rock Star on Saturday. Owned by Fusao Seckiguchi, Fusaichi Rock Star is a gray son of Wild Wonder. |
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Miss Loren in a Shocker The Clement L. Hirsch field was deep: three-year-old House of Fortune would be taking on the two dueling older stars Victory Encounter and Star Parade. Throw in the top mare Royally Chosen and the top three-year-old filly of 2003, Elloluv, for a very good field. However, it was longshot Miss Loren who drove right by them all to sweep the victory. A multiple group one winner in Argentina, she had yet to win a stakes race in America before the Clement L. Hirsch (gr. II), run over the Del Mar track. Jockey Jon Court was aboard for the victory. House of Fortune finished second, 3 1/2 lengths behind the winner, and Royally Chosen was third. Miss Loren, a six-year-old daughter of Numerous, is trained by Luis Seglin and paid $70.00 for the win. |
 Choctaw Nation at Santa Anita © Emily Hufford 2004 |
Choctaw Nation Surprises Choctaw Nation didn't know this was his first start in a stakes race, or that the Breeder's Cup Classic and Dubai World Cup winner was making his return in this race. He didn't know that During was a tough stakes horse or that the public didn't think much of his chances in this race. However, when Choctaw Nation upset Pleasantly Perfect by 3/4 of a length and paid $14.60, he was no surprise at all. After reeling off four brilliant victories in four starts, the Jeff Mullins trainee stood up to the task and toppled Pleasantly Perfect, last year's Classic winner. During finished third and Reba's Gold came in fourth. |
Choctaw Nation is a four-year-old son of Louis Quatorze and is out of the Well Decorated mare Melisma. He was ridden in the San Diego Handicap by Victor Espinoza. He now is undefeated in five starts with earnings of over $200,000. Choctaw Nation is owned by Robert D. Bone.
Western
Hemisphere Sprints to Win Three-year-old filly Western Hemisphere, who finished fourth on July 3rd going 1 1/4 miles on the turf at Hollywood Park, returned to the racetrack, Del Mar to be exact, to win the Fleet Treat Stakes at seven furlongs on the dirt. The white-faced filly, a full sister to the extremely talented General Challenge, who also won stakes races at Del Mar. Bob Baffert trains the daughter of General Meeting for Golden Eagle Farm. The Fleet Treat Stakes is for California-breds. Alphabet Kisses was second and Marie's Rose finished third.
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Musical
Chimes Gets a Grade One The four-year-old Musical Chimes, a daughter of In Excess, defeated the tough California-bred Moscow Burning in the grade one John C. Mabee Handicap on the turf at Del Mar. The beautiful bay last ran against males in the Charles Whittingham Handicap. Neil Drysdale trains Musical Chimes and Kent Desormeaux was aboard for the win. Favored Light Jig finished dead last and never showed anything throughout. Moscow Burning was 1 1/4 lengths back in second, Notting Hill was third, Dimitrova was fourth, and Katdogawn was fifth. |
| Southern Image To Miss
Pacific Classic By Emily Hufford From An Airport In Las Vegas On Her Way to Seattle... That's Dedication Santa Anita Handicap (gr. I) winner Southern Image is still suffering from a quarter crack, an injury which forced him to miss the Hollywood Gold Cup (gr. I) on July 10. The persistant injury will force him to miss the Pacific Classic (gr. I) at the end of August as well. Southern Image has been tack walking for several weeks. Trainer Mike Machowsky is still optimistic that the four-year-old son of Halo's Image will make the Breeders' Cup Classic (gr. I) on October 30. This year, Southern Image has also won the Pimlico Special (gr. I) and Sunshine Millions Classic. |
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