DEL MAR: WARM APRIL DRAWS NO. 1 POST.

Byline: Frank C. Girardot Staff Writer

Warm April and jockey Chris McCarron drew the No. 1 post Wednesday for Saturday's $250,000 California Cup Classic.

The race, to be contested at 1-1/8 miles on the main track, is one of 10 that make up Saturday's California Cup X. Other races include the California Cup Mile, the Matron, the Distaff, the Sprint, the Juvenile and the Juvenile Fillies.

But the Classic is the feature. And trainer Jenine Sahadi likes Warm April's chances even though the Bob Baffert-trained Del Mar Gray has been installed as the early 8-5 favorite, with Alex Solis aboard.

``He's training real well,'' Sahadi said of Warm April, the fourth choice at 5-1 on the morning line. ``I think it's a real wide-open event, so we decided to give it a try.''

From the rail out, the other entries in the Classic are: Lesters Boy, Frank Alvarado riding, at 15-1 in the two hole; Smoky Cinder, with Gary Stevens, 7-2; Prestigious Chief, with Victor Espinoza, 8-1; Bagshot, with Chris Antley, 3-1; and Splendid Splinter, Kent Desormeaux, 12-1.

Smoky Cinder is also trained by Sahadi and will run as an uncoupled entry.

Del Mar Gray will get the outside spot. That's fine with his owner Ed Friendly, but he's not too sure he likes his horse as the favorite.

``You never like to be outside, because that's a bad-luck omen,'' Friendly said.

Post time for the Classic will be 4:15 p.m.

The largest field of the day belongs to the $150,000 Classic Distaff.

Eighteen horses are entered in the event at 6-1/2 furlongs on the turf. Of those, 14 will actually run. Among the entries: Seattle Carla, who won the event in 1997; Pert Laura, who has a win on the downhill course and Sweetcakesandshakes, the horse who Eddie Delahoussaye rode to his 6,000th victory on Feb.7.