Molengao won't run in Classic

DEL MAR, Calif. - Molengao, winner of the Grade 2 Mervyn LeRoy Handicap at Hollywood Park in May, will not be entered in Sunday's $1 million Pacific Classic at Del Mar. Trainer Paulo Lobo said he was not pleased with the way Molengao exercised Tuesday and Wednesday.

"I'm not going to make it," Lobo said. "He's a little body sore."

Lobo said Molengao would undergo medical tests this weekend.

Lava Man, the defending champion, will be favored in the Pacific Classic.

Meanwhile, Bobby Frankel will go in search of a record seventh win in the Pacific Classic with two longshots - Hello Sunday and Porfido.

Both have run well enough in recent starts for Frankel to feel they deserve a chance in the Grade 1 race over 1 1/4 miles.

Hello Sunday is arguably the stronger of Frankel's runners based on his two-length win in an optional claimer over 1 1/16 miles on July 19, the 4-year-old colt's first start on a synthetic track.

"I thought he'd run good on it and he did," Frankel said. "I just think the distance will be the biggest question."

The optional claimer was Hello Sunday's first win in four starts in this country. A group stakes winner in France last year, Hello Sunday was unplaced in two stakes and one allowance race on turf earlier this year.

"He was pulling too hard in his races," Frankel said.

Porfido, winner of the 2006 Chilean Derby over about 1 1/2 miles on turf, is winless in seven starts in this country. He was fourth at 51-1 in the Hollywood Gold Cup in his synthetic track debut on June 30, making up ground in the final quarter-mile.

"He ran good through the stretch," Frankel said. "I didn't think he ran well around the turns. He's got the stamina and I think he'll like the Polytrack."

But Frankel is worried that Del Mar's stretch - 919 feet compared to 1,321 feet at Hollywood Park - will work against Porfido.

"This track doesn't have the longest stretch," he said. "We'll take a shot."

Frankel last won the Pacific Classic with defending champion Skimming in 2001. He won the race in four consecutive years from 1992-95. Sunday's race is the 17th running.

Hello Sunday and Porfido are among 13 expected entrants for the Pacific Classic. The others are A.P. Xcellent, Albertus Maximus, Arson Squad, Awesome Gem, Big Booster, Lava Man, Salty Humor, Student Council, Sun Boat, Tiago, and Time Squared. The race was scheduled to be drawn Wednesday evening.