Horse racing notes: Big slate of stakes races at Del Mar this weekend
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DEL MAR LEADERS
Through Thursday
JOCKEYS / WINS
Juan Hernandez / 39
Umberto Rispoli / 24
Ramon Vazquez / 18
Joe Bravo / 14
Edwin Maldonado / 13
TRAINERS / WINS
Bob Baffert / 14
Philip D’Amato / 13
Doug O’Neill / 13
Peter Miller / 12
Jonathan Wong / 12
WEEKEND STAKES (DEL MAR)
Saturday
• $1 million Grade I Pacific Classic, 3-year-olds and up, 1¼ miles
• $300,000 Grade II Del Mar Handicap, 3-year-olds and up, 1-3/8 miles (turf)
• $300,000 Grade II Del Mar Mile, 3-year-olds and up, 1 mile (turf)
• $300,000 Grade II Del Mar Derby, 3-year-olds, 1-1/8 miles (turf)
• $125,000 Shared Belief Stakes, 3-year-olds, 1 mile
Sunday
• $150,000 Grade III Green Flash Handicap, 3-year-olds and up, 5 furlongs (turf)
• $125,000 Grade III Torrey Pines Stakes, 3-year-old fillies, 1 mile
DOWN THE STRETCH
• Trainer Jonathan Wong had a terrific week at Del Mar, winning seven races to move into a fourth-place tie with Peter Miller in the trainer standings. They both have 12 victories. Bob Baffert led the trainer standings heading into Thursday’s card with 14 victories, one ahead of Philip D’Amato and Doug O’Neill. Juan Hernandez was running away with the jockey title with 39 wins to Umberto Rispoli’s 23. “I’m really happy,” Hernandez told Jim Charvat of Del Mar publicity. “I’ve been lucky to have a lot of support from owners and trainers.”
• A field of eight was entered for Saturday’s $1 million Grade I Jockey Club Gold Cup at Saratoga. Olympiad, trained by Bill Mott, is the 2-1 morning-line favorite and will be ridden by Junior Alvarado. The second choice is Americanrevolution at 3-1. The Todd Pletcher-trained Americanrevolution, one of three Pletcher horses in the 1¼-mile race, will be ridden by Joel Rosario. Dynamic One is 7-2 and First Captain is the 4-1 fourth choice. Post time is approximately 2:45 p.m.
• Undefeated Flightline is the 5-2 favorite for the second of two future wagers on the $6 million Breeders’ Cup Classic to be held on Nov. 5 at Keeneland. Pool 2 of the wager will begin Friday at 9 a.m. and close Monday at 3:30 p.m. The Classic future wager is a minimum $2 bet and a win wager only. Travers Stakes winner Epicenter is the second choice at 7-2, followed by Life Is Good at 4-1. There are 23 individual betting interests and one “All Others” wager. All Others includes all horses other than the pool’s individual horses.
— Art Wilson
