Class Leader, Imperative work for Pacific Classic

DEL MAR, Calif. – Class Leader has never run in a Grade 1 race or won a graded stakes. Imperative is a Grade 2 winner who is winless in seven Grade 1 or Group 1 races on two continents and has not raced since April.

Yet they are both part of the expected field for the $1 million Pacific Classic at Del Mar next Saturday. Their presence in the race is not far-fetched. The Grade 1 Pacific Classic at 1 1/4 miles on dirt is the track’s richest race and is likely to have a field of nine. The race lacks a heavy favorite. If there is a time to try such a race, this is the opportunity for runners such as Class Leader and Imperative, who figure to be 12-1 to 15-1 shots.

“It will be a grab bag of a race,” said Richard Baltas, who trains Imperative. “There is no standout.”

The field is led by Beholder, the 5-year-old mare and two-time champion; Catch a Flight, who won the Grade 2 San Diego Handicap here on July 25; and Hard Aces, who won the $500,000 Gold Cup at Santa Anita on June 27.

Other candidates include Bailoutbobby, Bayern, Hoppertunity, Midnight Storm, and Red Vine.

Imperative missed the San Diego Handicap and Gold Cup at Santa Anita. Baltas began training Imperative in late spring after owner Kenji Morinaga transferred the 5-year-old gelding from trainer George Papaprodromou.

Claimed for $50,000 in December 2013 by Morinaga and Papaprodromou, Imperative won the $1.5 million Charles Town Classic in West Virginia in 2014 and was second in the same race in April prior to switching stables.

Imperative was turned out for a rest briefly after the Charles Town Classic. On Saturday, Imperative had his final workout for the Pacific Classic, going seven furlongs in 1:26.20.

“It’s a tough spot to bring him back,” Baltas said. “I worked him two miles in a row and now seven-eighths. I want to tighten him up for the race. I want to make sure he’s fit. Beholder will be the horse to beat.”

Class Leader will make his California debut in the Pacific Classic, his first start at 1 1/4 miles. Owned by Lane’s End Racing, Class Leader is trained by John Sadler and previously was trained by Neil Howard. A 4-year-old colt, Class Leader has won 3 of 13 starts and earned $173,389. He was third in the Michael Schaefer Memorial Stakes at Indiana Grand on a sealed and sloppy track July 18 in his most recent start.

On Saturday, Class Leader worked seven furlongs in 1:26.40. He worked in company with Carnival Lights, who was timed in 1:28.80, according to Sadler.

The distance of the Pacific Classic appeals to Sadler for Class Leader.

“It looks like he wants to run all day,” he said. “There should be no problem with stamina.”