Del Mar: Catch a Flight keeps sharp for Classic

DEL MAR, Calif. – With three wins in his last four starts, including a victory in the local prep for the Pacific Classic, Catch a Flight figures to be one of the top contenders in the Grade 1, $1 million Pacific Classic on Saturday at Del Mar. He remained on edge with an easy work on Tuesday morning, indicating trainer Richard Mandella will have a formidable one-two punch in the meet’s biggest race.

Catch a Flight was officially timed in 1:01.60 for five furlongs by track clocker Dane Nelson while working in company.

“I thought he worked terrific. Just trying to keep him happy,” Mandella said.

Catch a Flight won the Grade 2 San Diego Handicap at 1 1/16 miles on July 25. Earlier this year at Santa Anita, he captured the Grade 3 Precisionist at 1 1/16 miles and Grade 2 Californian at 1 1/8 miles. In his two tries at the Pacific Classic distance of 1 1/4 miles, in the Santa Anita Handicap and Gold Cup, he was third.

“He hasn’t won yet at a mile and a quarter, but so far he’s been pretty good at whatever we’ve asked him to do, from a mile to a mile and a quarter,” Mandella said.

Flavien Prat worked Catch a Flight and has the mount on Saturday. He rode Catch a Flight to victory in the Precisionist, when Gary Stevens was at Churchill Downs to ride Firing Line to a second-place finish in the Kentucky Derby.

Stevens has ridden Catch a Flight in his other six races in this country, but on Saturday he will be on the champion mare Beholder, also trained by Mandella.

New York invader Red Vine was scheduled to arrive on Tuesday for the race. Post positions for the Pacific Classic were to be drawn on Wednesday morning.

The Pacific Classic is a Win and You’re In race, giving the winner a fees-paid berth into the Breeders’ Cup Classic Oct. 31 at Keeneland.