Pacific Classic an option for Beach View

DEL MAR, Calif. – Beach View may go from an upset win in Wednesday’s Grade 3 Cougar II Handicap to the meeting’s richest race, the $1 million Pacific Classic on Aug. 18.

Trainer Leonard Powell said on Thursday that Beach View will be nominated for the Grade 1 Pacific Classic at 1 1/4 miles as well as the Grade 2 Del Mar Handicap on turf the same day. The $250,000 Del Mar Handicap is run at 1 3/8 miles.

Powell said the decision will depend on the depth of the Pacific Classic field. The candidates are led by Accelerate, the winner of two Grade 1 races at 1 1/4 miles earlier this year.

“We’ll make the best decision, hopefully,” he said. “It’s a good position to be in.”

Beach View ($20) rallied on the rail under jockey Rafael Bejarano to win the $100,690 Cougar II Handicap at 1 1/2 miles on dirt by a convincing 4 3/4 lengths over 3-5 favorite Hoppertunity.

“He didn’t finish like a tired horse at all,” Powell said.

In the winner’s circle, Powell praised Bejarano’s ride. Beach View was fifth and then sixth on the backstretch before advancing to third with a quarter-mile to go. Beach View took the lead in early stretch.

“When you wait for the rail to open, you can look like a genius or an idiot,” Powell said. “He looked a genius.”

Owned by Paul and Mark Levy, Beach View, a 5-year-old by Giant’s Causeway, has won 3 of 10 starts and earned $168,200. In his only previous stakes appearance, Beach View finished fourth in the Grade 3 Tokyo City Stakes at 1 1/2 miles in April 2017.