Defunded not a cinch vs. intriguing San Diego field

DEL MAR, Calif. – It is no secret that the handicap division in California lacks depth, despite the large field entered in the Grade 2 San Diego Handicap on Saturday at Del Mar.

Perhaps the shallowness of the division is why nine challengers will face Defunded, the 125-pound highweight in the mile and a sixteenth San Diego. The $300,000 race is the prep for the Grade 1, $1 million Pacific Classic on Sept. 2 and after Defunded, who is there?

Defunded capitalized this season on the absence of stablemates Taiba and Country Grammer to emerge as the top older horse in California and early favorite for the Pacific Classic. Defunded, in his last six starts for trainer Bob Baffert, won four graded stakes including the Grade 1 Gold Cup at Santa Anita last out under rider Juan Hernandez.

But the San Diego is not a must-win for Defunded. It might be a means to an end – a prep for the Pacific Classic. Maybe an upsetter lurks in the San Diego, race 8. The Grade 1 Bing Crosby is race 10.

The six-furlong Bing Crosby was an option for Brickyard Ride, whose eight stakes wins include seven sprints. But at age 6, it is increasingly difficult for the veteran to make the lead running short. Brickyard Ride’s trainer Craig Lewis is looking for a loose-on-the-lead trip.

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“He’s getting older and I just think he wants to be more comfortable,” Lewis said. “He wants to get clear, early. I think he can get a mile and a sixteenth, but I don’t know if he can do it in this company. We’re not trying to fool anybody. Everybody knows what’s going to happen.”

What will happen is Brickyard Ride and Umberto Rispoli will set the pace. If he reproduces his previous dirt route, a California-bred stakes romp last year, he could wire the San Diego. If not, it is anyone’s race.

In addition to likely favorite Defunded and likely pacesetter Brickyard Ride, the field is eclectic. Slow Down Andy is a multi-surface graded winner; Missed the Cut is an import who ran well in his U.S. debut; Piroli is Grade 1-placed. Others are in uncertain form, including Royal Ship, the 2022 San Diego winner, and Tripoli, the 2021 Pacific Classic winner.

American Admiral enters as an upset candidate based on a highly rated allowance win last out. Senor Buscador and Tisquantum also are entered.

Slow Down Andy finished sixth last out in the Grade 1 Met Mile, his first start in seven months after missing winter when he became body sore. Trainer Doug O’Neill acknowledged the Met Mile “was a tough spot coming back,” but said Slow Down Andy came out of it in good shape.

A Grade 2 winner with tactical speed breaking from the rail, Slow Down Andy is likely to be forwardly placed under Mario Gutierrez. Slow Down Andy and Defunded have similar styles and are likely to be positioned second and third behind Brickyard Ride.

O’Neill said a good performance by Slow Down Andy would give him a second candidate for the Pacific Classic along with Pleasanton Mile winner Katonah.

Missed the Cut makes his second U.S. start for trainer John Sadler. His form in England last year suggests he be taken seriously. He won a stake at Lingfield over Algiers, who subsequently won two Group 2s and finished second in the Dubai World Cup.

Missed the Cut arrived in March and immediately took to training on dirt at Santa Anita. He was even money in a four-horse allowance in his comeback, and finished second with a wide trip. That race was one mile.

“He needs further, we’ve known that right along,” Sadler said. “He wants the big, long distance

We think [the San Diego] will be a little short again for him. We really are anxious go get him in at a mile and a quarter.”

If Missed the Cut is taken seriously based on his England form and U.S. debut, then the San Diego entrant who defeated Missed the Cut last time also must be considered.

American Admiral was stalled in the allowance ranks for the past year, but the large-sized gelding recently improved for trainer Tim Yakteen. Second with a wide trip two back, he produced the race of his career last out running away from Missed the Cut.

“He’s getting better and better,” jockey Ramon Vazquez said. “He’s very versatile, you can do whatever you want with him. You can put him close, in the middle of the bunch, whatever, he’ll still run.”

American Admiral carries only 118 pounds, and worked well over the Del Mar surface last weekend. With a weight break and potentially high odds, American Admiral might be one of the more attractive gambles on the Saturday card.

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