American Pastime making comeback in Bing Crosby

DEL MAR, Calif.- American Pastime was fourth in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint at Del Mar last November in the second stakes appearance of his career. For his third stakes run, in Sunday’s Grade 1 Bing Crosby Stakes at Del Mar, American Pastime faces a field that includes Roy H, the winner of the BC Sprint last year and the 2017 champion sprinter.

American Pastime has not raced since the BC Sprint, and a comeback against such tough competition has tempered trainer Bob Hess Jr.’s expectations for the $300,000 Bing Crosby at six furlongs.

“Realistically, we can come back healthy, get something out of it, pick up a few bucks and go forward,” he said over the weekend.

American Pastime was turned out last winter because of sore feet diagnosed in an MRI, Hess said.

“We found some bone bruising in both front feet after the Breeders’ Cup,” Hess said. “I think it had been pestering him for much of the year.

“We gave him plenty of time and he’s ready to go.”

Owned by the partnership of Judith Huarte, Bert Lane, Mike Mowrey, Jan Steeper, and Gary Woods, American Pastime has won 3 of 7 starts and earned $255,100.

American Pastime had his final workout for the Bing Crosby on Sunday. Ridden by Corey Nakatani, who has the mount in the Bing Crosby, American Pastime worked five furlongs in 59.60 seconds from the gate. Hess timed the workout in 59.17 seconds.

“It was a good work,” Hess said. “He looks healthy and happy.”

The Bing Crosby winner will receive a fees-paid berth to the BC Sprint at Churchill Downs on Nov. 3. Aside from American Pastime and Roy H, other probable starters are American Anthem, Edwards Going Left, Ransom the Moon, St. Joe Bay, and Touching Rainbows.

Sunday’s main race is the Grade 1 Clement Hirsch Stakes for fillies and mares at 1 1/16 miles, the leading race for older females of the summer meeting. Unique Bella, the champion female sprinter of 2017, will be heavily favored to win an eighth stakes race in her 12th start.

Trained by Jerry Hollendorfer, Unique Bella is expected to race against Bernina Star, La Force, Turkish Tabby, and Yuvetsi. Mopotism, winless in five starts since the Grade 2 La Canada Stakes at Santa Anita in January, has been turned out for a few weeks for a “mental freshening,” trainer Doug O’Neill said Sunday.

The winner of the $300,000 Clement Hirsch will earn a fees-paid berth to the BC Distaff at Churchill Downs on Nov. 3.