Hard Aces injured, out until Santa Anita fall meet
DEL MAR, Calif. - Hard Aces, the Grade 1 winner who finished eighth of nine in the $1,001,380 Pacific Classic on Saturday, emerged from the race with a cut on a foreleg and will not race again until the Santa Anita autumn meeting.
Trainer John Sadler said Sunday that Hard Aces needed “a few” stitches for the injury. He speculated Hard Aces was struck by a rival leaving the gate. Hard Aces was sixth for much of the race before fading in the stretch under jockey Santiago Gonzalez to finish 25 lengths behind race winner California Chrome.
“He wasn’t riding him the last part,” Sadler said.
Hard Aces won the Grade 1 Gold Cup at Santa Anita in June 2015 and the Grade 3 Cougar II Handicap here July 24.
Win the Space, third behind California Chrome in the Grade 2 San Diego Handicap on July 23, was eased in the Pacific Classic. Trainer George Papaprodromou said on Sunday that Win the Space suffered no injury during the race.
“Everything is fine,” he said. “He’ll go to Santa Anita.”