United likely to stay on turf for next start

DEL MAR, Calif. – United is likely to stay on grass, after all.

A day after United’s third straight Grade 2 turf victory on Sunday at Del Mar, trainer Richard Mandella walked back the idea of switching him to dirt for the Grade 1 Pacific Classic on Aug. 22.

“When I said that, I was thinking it was still a million dollars,” Mandella said Monday. “I don’t mean to snivel at $500,000, but I don’t know that I want to take him out of his game plan for that. Game plan meaning the Breeders’ Cup Turf.”

United won the Grade 2 Eddie Read Stakes on Sunday, after which Mandella announced plans to start the gelding on dirt in the Pacific Classic. United has never raced on dirt, but impressive dirt workouts gave Mandella reason to believe he would handle the switch.

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However, Mandella was unaware that Del Mar announced in May that the Pacific Classic purse had been cut from $1 million to $500,000. After weighing risk and reward, Mandella walked back the dirt idea.

“When I said that, I didn’t know that the Pacific Classic [purse] had been dropped,” he said.

United is 5 for 12 on turf and finished second by a head in the 2019 Breeders’ Cup Turf at Santa Anita. The BC Turf on Nov. 7 at Keeneland remains the ultimate objective.

United has won three successive Grade 2’s on turf. If he stays home, United could run Aug. 22 on turf in the Grade 2, $200,000 Del Mar Handicap. Mandella said United also will be considered for a rich race in New York. The Grade 1, $500,000 Sword Dancer, scheduled for Aug. 29 at Saratoga, could fit the bill.

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Mandella’s change of heart means jockey Flavien Prat does not need to choose between United and Higher Power, the 2019 Pacific Classic winner he rode to a third-place finish Saturday in the San Diego Handicap. Higher Power is expected to face San Diego winner Maximum Security in the Pacific Classic.