Smith to ride Shared Belief in Pacific Classic

DEL MAR, Calif. – Mike Smith has chosen to ride Shared Belief rather than Game On Dude in the Grade 1, $1 million Pacific Classic at Del Mar on Aug. 24. Shared Belief and Game On Dude, the defending race champion, both had serious, stamina-building seven-furlong workouts Tuesday as final preparations began for the meet’s richest and most-important race.

Smith had been riding both horses but in recent days informed both Jerry Hollendorfer, the trainer of Shared Belief, and Bob Baffert, the trainer of Game On Dude, that he would be siding with Shared Belief for the Pacific Classic.

“He’s going with the younger gelding,” Baffert said Tuesday.

Martin Garcia will ride Game On Dude in the Pacific Classic and was aboard for the workout Tuesday at Del Mar, and Game On Dude gave every indication that he’s still as feisty as ever at age 7. After breaking off six lengths behind a workmate, he reeled in his workmate, galloped out with enthusiasm, and was hard to pull up.

“Listo,” meaning “ready,” Garcia said to Baffert over a radio after the drill.

Track clockers gave Game On Dude an official time of 1:24.60. Baffert had Game On Dude going out one mile in 1:38.80.

“That was a good work. He’s doing good,” Baffert said.

Game On Dude rolled to an 8 1/2-length victory in last year’s Pacific Classic. Garcia filled in that day for Smith, who was obligated to ride Royal Delta in a race at Saratoga. Smith had ridden Game On Dude in his five races prior to that and has been on him for his six races since.

This will be the fourth straight year Game On Dude has competed in the Pacific Classic. He was second in 2012 to Dullahan and fourth in 2011 behind the victorious Acclamation.

“That’s the only time he didn’t get over this track well,” Baffert said of the 2011 Pacific Classic. “I think his feet were bugging him. He went over it well last year.”

At Golden Gate Fields, Shared Belief worked seven furlongs in 1:28.20 with jockey Russell Baze aboard. Hollendorfer, in a telephone call, said Shared Belief broke off behind three Hollendorfer-trained workmates, “and he went around them when Russell was ready.”

“It was a serious work, but it’s a serious race, and he needs to be ready to go a mile and a quarter,” Hollendorfer said.

Game On Dude has run 1 1/4 miles 14 times and owns six wins, including three in the Santa Anita Handicap. Shared Belief, 3, is unbeaten in five starts and was last year’s champion 2-year-old male but has yet to race beyond 1 1/8 miles.

Hollendorfer said he had yet to decide when Shared Belief would come to Del Mar or whether his final workout would be at Golden Gate or Del Mar.

As of Tuesday, 12 days before the race, the likely Pacific Classic starters were Clubhouse Ride, Footbridge, Frac Daddy, Game On Dude, Imperative, Irish Surf, Majestic Harbor, Shared Belief, Toast of New York, and You Know I Know. Possible starters include Big Cazanova, Fed Biz, and Sky Kingdom.