In case anyone was wondering, Victor Espinoza was tuned in to the races from Del Mar last Sunday when Drayden Van Dyke tied his local record of seven winners on a program.
“Yes, I was watching that little guy,” Espinoza said Friday morning from his home in Del Mar. “I know how that feels. I had to text him congratulations.”
Wonder Gadot has been stealing a good chunk of the buzz for Saturday’s Travers Stakes at Saratoga, and rightfully so. Named for both a movie star and her most famous character, the Canadian champion has beaten colts in her last two starts. She is big and strong and has all the speed she needs to deal with the rude boys around her. And if she runs well this weekend, it will be no surprise to those who have followed her career for owner Gary Barber and trainer Mark Casse.
Don’t get me wrong. They were terrific. At Del Mar, Accelerate blew the doors off his opposition in the Pacific Classic, winning by 12 1/2 lengths. At Saratoga, Eskimo Kisses powered home in the Alabama to win by 6 1/2. Provided with dramatic settings, their victories were sweetened by the fact that both were accomplished at the American classic distance of a mile and one-quarter on dirt.
There comes a point in every racing season when body of work becomes as important as perceived brilliance and ability, and we have now reached that point with Accelerate.
Although it is entirely a matter of opinion, I suspect many folks would agree that Accelerate – even the freakish version of Accelerate we watched dominate Saturday’s Pacific Classic at Del Mar – is not equal to the standard established by Gun Runner, the 2017 Horse of the Year and champion older dirt male, or, for that matter, West Coast, last year’s Eclipse Award-winning 3-year-old male.
Talk about a tough act to follow. For the past five years, the Pacific Classic at Del Mar has delivered a procession of runnings won by Game On Dude, Shared Belief, Beholder, and California Chrome – three future Hall of Famers and a champion – climaxed last year by the Bob Baffert 1-2 finishers Collected and Arrogate. Such results made the million-dollar Classic purse look like a steal, and its Grade 1 rating clearly deserved a bump up to Grade Wow, a designation rarely deployed.
Corey Nakatani’s history with the Pacific Classic hits notes both high and low. His victory in 2006 with Lava Man went a long way toward erasing the taste of the 2000 Classic, when Nakatani was set to ride odds-on choice General Challenge but suffered a broken collarbone earlier on the card.
It’s Robert Bruce’s turn atop our male turf division.
This week, anyway.
The U.S. male turf division has been a game of musical chairs all year, so it remains to be seen if Robert Bruce, winner of Saturday’s Grade 1 Arlington Million, can stop the music and bring some stability to the situation. It’s difficult mustering any confidence that he will, and that’s not meant as a knock on Robert Bruce. It’s more of a general observation that this division has conditioned us to the point where you can’t (and shouldn’t) have any real expectations.
Every once in a while it does the heart good to hear about the people running industries other than Thoroughbred racing who make bonehead decisions that do nothing to help the brand.
This week, movie fans learned that the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences will tweak its coveted Oscars with the addition of a new category – Outstanding Achievement in Popular Film.
Mr. Chairman, with your indulgence, I would like to address a personal issue in regards to the field for the Grade 2 Best Pal Stakes at Del Mar on Saturday.
I understand that the race has previewed some of the most successful young runners in recent history, and that I should view the race with a dispassionate eye toward the future. Among the 1-2-3 finishers over the past two decades have been Nyquist, I’ll Have Another, Lookin At Lucky, Captain Steve, and Dixie Union.
The Arlington Million, once unique among North American events, retains its reputation as an honest institution, complete with a hard-earned lore. John Henry’s inaugural triumph. The devastating grandstand fire. And then the Miracle Million, followed by the resurrection of Arlington Park as a modern architectural wonder.
