Del Mar

With eight entered for the 35th renewal of Saturday's GI Pacific Classic at Del Mar, a stellar matchup is anticipated with GI Preakness Stakes and GI Haskell Stakes winner Journalism (Curlin) set to take on his elders for the first time. Among those he'll face are 'TDN Rising Star' Nysos (Nyquist), who exited a win in the July 26 GII San Diego Handicap with a five-for-six record, and 'TDN Rising Star' Fierceness (City of Light), the 2023 Eclipse champion 2-year-old colt and a triple Grade I winner. The 10-furlong Pacific...

With a name like Will Happen (Vekoma--Walk of Fame, by Scat Daddy) you would think that a 'TDN Rising Star' would be in the offing. Of course, the filly had to sparkle in the fifth at Del Mar to earn her badge and sparkle she did. The 2-year-old turned and burned in her maiden-breaking debut on Sunday. A $210,000 OBS March breezer (see Alan Carasso's Summer Breezes), the first-time starter was sent off as the 2-1 choice here. At the bell, Will Happen looked like a sharp stick and had...

Dr. Venkman (g, 5, Ghostzapper--Theory of Change, by Archarcharch), winner of the GII San Diego Handicap at Del Mar 13 months ago, returned to the scene of his biggest career triumph to add the GII Pat O'Brien Stakes Saturday. The $250,000 Pat O'Brien, run at seven furlongs, offers a 'Win and You're In' berth to the GI Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile, to be held over this surface Nov. 1. Despite a field of veterans, the Pat O'Brien was not without incident. Two of the six horses--Stronghold (Ghostzapper) and Spirit of...

Multiple Grade I hero Journalism (Curlin) was out over the Del Mar racetrack Saturday morning for his latest move as his connections continue talks about entering in the GI Pacific Classic. Out on an overcast day, the son of Curlin put in a five-furlong breeze in 1-minute flat, the 30th fastest of 69 that morning at the distance, with regular rider Umberto Rispoli in the irons. The pair went in company with SP Phosphorescence (Fr) (City of Light). It was the longest of his three works at the track in...

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. -- Earlier this week, owner Mike Repole took to X, formerly known as Twitter, to ask for help. He wanted to know what he should do with the two of the best older horses in the country, both, coincidentally, that he owns. Mindframe (Constitution) and Fierceness (City of Light). What to do with them next weekend? The options are simple enough. The $1 million GI Pacific Classic is being run at Del Mar in California next Saturday. The $1 million GI Jockey Club Gold Cup is being...

4th-ELP, $100K, Msw, 2yo, f, 6f, 2:16 p.m. ET. Peter Blum homebred ELITE (Into Mischief) makes her first start for trainer Rodolphe Brisset. Out of Flawless (Mr. Greeley), the 2-year-old is a full-sister to current sire Authentic. Also drawn in the same race is Gary & Mary West homebred Fashion Designer (Into Mischief), who is trained by Brad Cox. Her dam Beach Walk produced current sire Life Is Good and GSW Most Wanted (Candy Ride {Arg}). Woodslane bred Sister Troienne (Munnings) is a Brian Lynch trainee whose own dam is...

   'TDN Rising Star' Fierceness (City of Light) is among late nominees for Del Mar's GI Pacific Classic Aug. 30. The 4-year-old is owned St. Elias Stables and Repole Stable, the latter also campaigns GI Stephen Foster winner Mindframe (Constitution). With the goal of keeping the two Repole runners separate until the GI Breeders' Cup Classic at Del Mar in November, Mindframe is slated to contest the GI Jockey Club Gold Cup at Saratoga Aug. 31. The Pacific Classic is also a 'Win & You're In' race for the Breeders'...

5. READY FOR CANDY, SAR, 8/17, 1 1/8 miles (turf) (VIDEO) Beyer Speed Figure-86 (f, 3, by Twirling Candy--Enoree, by More Than Ready) O-Lindy Farms. B-Mark Dodson (Ont-C). T-Philip Antonacci. J-Irad Ortiz Jr. The Antonacci family is legendary in harness racing, but has had success with thoroughbreds, too, and February $400k Fasig Tipton buy Ready for Candy made a splash at Saratoga in her 3-year-old debut. Now trained by young Phil Antonacci, she controlled the pace to the stretch then zipped away by 7 ¾ lengths. For her previous connections,...

In this series, the TDN takes a look at notable successes of European-based sires in North America. This week's column is highlighted by the victory of El Cordobes at Saratoga. El Cordobes Breaks Through At The Spa Godolphin's El Cordobes (Frankel) broke through at the highest level in the August 9 GI Sword Dancer Stakes at Saratoga for Charlie Appleby (video). He is a winner of the G2 Princess of Wales's Stakes in England. Bred by Bjorn Nielsen, he was originally picked up for 2 million gns out of the...

Charting a course then declaring 'here be dragons' when she made land in the seaside oval winner's circle, Explora (Blame--Collections Choice, by Bernardini) set sail from the gate and never looked back in a maiden-breaking performance on Sunday which earned her a 'TDN Rising Star' flag for her top mast. The heavy favorite established her lead up the backstretch and tacked around the far turn like she had even pulled out her pocket handkerchiefs. With rider Juan Hernandez playing the role of bosun, Explora went easy en route to win...

Velocity is defined as the speed of an object going in a given direction, and the aptly named Velocity (Nyquist) proved to be moving fastest as she snuck up the fence to post a monster 35-1 upset in the GI Del Mar Oaks. A photo finish specialist with two victories by a combined margin of barely half a head, the Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners colorbearer came into the race with a nose victory July 20 over this course against optional claiming company. She'd tried graded company for the first time two...

4th-SAR, $100k, Msw, 2yo, f, 6f, 2:20p.m. ET A homebred for St Elias Stable, Nonna Teresa (Gun Runner) will head out for conditioner Todd Pletcher on what could turn into a very quality-heavy afternoon for debuting runners at The Spa. From the female line of the great Personal Ensign through third dam MGISW My Flag (Easy Goer), the chestnut is out of MGSW Teresa Z (Smart Strike), herself a half-sister to the dams of GSW-UAE Queen Azteca (Sharp Azteca) and MGSP Colorful Mischief (Into Mischief). Her final prep for this...