Accelerate to be Sadler's only entrant in Pacific Classic

DEL MAR, Calif. – The Pacific Classic field, already abbreviated, might end up even shorter than initially expected as trainer Bob Baffert on Monday said that Roman Rosso was his only certain runner in the Grade 1, $1 million race Saturday at Del Mar.

Baffert worked Mubtaahij on Monday, and though he went five furlongs in 1:00.60, Baffert was far from certain to enter Mubtaahij in the Pacific Classic. Mubtaahij missed the San Diego Handicap earlier this meet after spiking a temperature, and Monday’s drill was only his third since returning to the work tab.

“I missed some time with him after he got sick,” Baffert said. “We’ll see how he comes out of the work. This track is so deep it’s hard to get a gauge.”

Entries for the Pacific Classic were due Tuesday, with posts to be drawn early Tuesday evening at the popular local restaurant The Brigantine.

The prospective field is headed by Accelerate, winner of the Santa Anita Handicap and Gold Cup at Santa Anita earlier this year. Those races, like the Pacific Classic, are at 1 1/4 miles.

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Accelerate was kept out of the San Diego in favor of stablemate Catalina Cruiser, but has trained right along this summer and turned in his final work for the race Sunday when he went seven furlongs in 1:26 under Juan Leyva, the former jockey who is the assistant to trainer John Sadler.

Sadler called the drill “a very good work on a really dead track.”

“A good work, a stamina-building work,” Sadler said.

Sadler said he would enter only Accelerate in the race. He said he would not enter Catalina Cruiser.

“Enter one, keep it simple,” he said.

Sadler said Catalina Cruiser is under consideration for either the Grade 2 Pat O’Brien here Aug. 25, or the Grade 1 Woodward at Saratoga on Sept. 1. The Pat O’Brien is at seven furlongs, but is a Win and You’re In for the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile, which is the year-end target for Catalina Cruiser.

Others expected for the Pacific Classic were Beach View, Pavel, Prime Attraction, and The Lieutenant.

Unique Bella, last year’s champion female sprinter, was nominated to the race, but trainer Jerry Hollendorfer on Sunday said, “I’m leaning to run at Santa Anita,” referring to the Grade 1 Zenyatta in late September.

The Pacific Classic would be the first race for Unique Bella at 1 1/4 miles and her first start against males. She also would be coming back three weeks after winning the Clement Hirsch. In her first work since the Hirsch, she went four furlongs in 51.60 seconds Sunday morning at Del Mar.

Asked if he’d even enter the Pacific Classic on Tuesday to take a look, Hollendorfer replied, “That’s doubtful.”