Pavel being pointed to Pacific Classic

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Pavel could make his next start in the Grade 1 Pacific Classic on Aug. 18 at Del Mar, as trainer Doug O’Neill starts looking ahead to the Breeders’ Cup with his latest stable star.

Pavel, with Mario Gutierrez riding for O’Neill and owner Paul Reddam, thrashed a solid group of older horses Saturday night at Churchill Downs in the Grade 1 Stephen Foster Handicap, earning an automatic Win and You’re In berth to the Nov. 3 BC Classic at Churchill.

O’Neill said Monday from California that Pavel probably won’t race again prior to the 1 1/4-mile Pacific Classic, but added, “I guess that could change.”

Pavel earned a 101 Beyer Speed Figure with his breakthrough victory, which came amid sweltering heat on a night otherwise highlighted by four other graded stakes and a victory parade for the newly minted Triple Crown winner Justify.

Meanwhile, the two favorites in the 1 1/8-mile Foster did not fare nearly as well as Pavel, who prevailed as the 6-1 third choice. Backyard Heaven, the 4-5 favorite for Chad Brown, was sixth despite a great trip, while Irish War Cry, the 7-2 second choice, was eased on the far turn.

“Extremely disappointed,” Brown said Sunday morning. “It was a lost opportunity in a race where he had a beautiful trip on a track we know he likes. I hate to bring up the excuse of the heat because every horse has to run under the same conditions, but I’m hoping it was just a matter of that.”

Brown said Backyard Heaven, who returned Monday to Belmont Park, scoped clean and was sound. Brown said if Backyard Heaven “comes back and trains like a star again,” he will consider running him in the Grade 1 Whitney at Saratoga on Aug. 4.

“I’m not going to hold one race against him,” Brown said. “But if he doesn’t train well, then I’ll know something’s gone amiss with the horse, so I’ll really have to focus on that.”

Irish War Cry’s trainer, Graham Motion, said the colt was overcome by apparent heat exhaustion and should be fine going forward.