DEL MAR PREVIEW: SPORT HAS TO MOVE ON DEATH OF HORSE OWNER OVERSHADOWS DEL MAR.Byline: Rich Hammond Rich Hammond Los Angeles Daily News sports writer. Instrumental in bringing the Los Angeles Kings hockey organization closer to the fans. He is the atypical "what a guy" to Kings fans everywhere. Rich Hammond on himself. Staff Writer The festive atmosphere that typically accompanies the start of the Del Mar Del Mar is the name of several places in the United States of America:
Trainer Bob Baffert Bob Baffert (born January 13, 1953 in Nogales, Arizona) is an American horse owner and trainer. He graduated from the University of Arizona's Racetrack Management Program with a Bachelor of Science degree. told the Daily Racing Form The Daily Racing Form, LLC (DRF) is a broadsheet newspaper founded in 1894 in Chicago, Illinois by Frank Brunell. The paper publishes the past performances of race horses as a statistical service for bettors on horse racing in the United States. on Tuesday that Kentucky Derby Kentucky Derby One of the classic U.S. Thoroughbred horse races. It was established in 1875 and run annually on the first Saturday in May at Churchill Downs track in Louisville, Ky. With the Preakness and the Belmont Stakes, it makes up U.S. racing's coveted Triple Crown. and Preakness winner War Emblem War Emblem was the winner of the Kentucky Derby in 2002. This Thoroughbred's time was 2:01.13 around the 1 1/4 mile track. Victor Espinoza was his jockey for the Derby, never having seen the horse until the morning of the race. , formerly owned by the prince, would skip the Aug. 4 Haskell Invitational at Monmouth Park in New Jersey and instead run at Del Mar on Aug. 25 in the Pacific Classic. Baffert cited the prince's death as one reason, as well as a high weight of 124 pounds assigned to War Emblem for the Haskell. The change of heart would give an instant boost to Del Mar and provide War Emblem his first race against older horses. The addition of War Emblem could be even better news to Del Mar officials depending on the status of Mizzen Mast over the next month. Mizzen Mast, trained by Bobby Frankel, was being pointed toward the Aug. 4 San Diego Handicap The San Diego Handicap is an American Thoroughbred horse race held annually at Del Mar Racetrack in Del Mar, California. The race is open to horses, age three and up, willing to race one and one-sixteenth miles on the dirt. The race carries a purse of 300,000. , a major prep race for the Pacific Classic, but suffered an undisclosed injury while training and will miss at least San Diego San Diego (săn dēā`gō), city (1990 pop. 1,110,549), seat of San Diego co., S Calif., on San Diego Bay; inc. 1850. San Diego includes the unincorporated communities of La Jolla and Spring Valley. Coronado is across the bay. . But the Pacific Classic is a month away. The meet begins today with the $75,000 Oceanside Stakes for 3-year-olds on turf, split into two divisions. The first division, the fifth race on today's card, is considered the tougher of the two. Mountain Rage, trained by Baffert with David Flores Flores, town, Guatemala Flores (flōrəs), town (1990 est. pop. 2,200), capital of Petén department, N Guatemala. Flores was built on an island in the southern part of Lake Petén Itzá and on the site of the aboard, is the slim morning-line favorite in the field of seven, but Johar (with Alex Solis Alex O. Solis (born March 25, 1964 in Panama City, Panama) is a jockey based in the United States. He currently lives in Glendora, California and rides predominantly in Southern California. He first gained national prominence when he won the 1986 Preakness Stakes with Snow Chief. ) and Rock Opera (Laffit Pincay) should also get strong support. Saphir Indien (Eddie Delahoussaye Edward J. Delahoussaye (born September 21 1951) was an American thoroughbred jockey from New Iberia, Louisiana. He began his career in 1968 and in ten short years became the top American jockey with 384 wins. ), Point Prince (Kent Desormeaux Kent J. Desormeaux (born February 27, 1970, in Maurice, Vermilion Parish, Louisiana) is an American thoroughbred horse racing Hall of Fame jockey who holds the U.S. record for most races won in a single year. ), Sunkosi (Mike Smith) and Six Hitter (Patrick Valenzuela) make up the rest of the field. Mutinyonthebounty, with Smith aboard, is the morning-line favorite among eight horses in the second division, the eighth race. The field consists of Diamond Hope (Solis), Music's Storm (Gary Stevens), True Phenomenon (Valenzuela), Holdthehelm (Desormeaux), Dream Machine (Garrett Gomez), Mr Wensleydale (Flores) and Ecstatic (Victor Espinoza). The bigger names hit the track this weekend, as Kona Gold will look to reestablish himself as a top sprinter in Saturday's Bing Crosby Breeders' Cup Handicap The Bing Crosby Breeders' Cup Handicap is an American Thoroughbred horse race held annually in late July at Del Mar Racetrack in Del Mar, California. The Grade 1 race is open to horses three years of age up. . Kona Gold is unbeaten in five starts at Del Mar and is a two-time winner of the Bing Crosby, but the 8-year-old has won just one of his last five races. D'wildcat, Freespool and Mellow Fellow are among the expected challengers to Kona Gold. Also on Saturday, top female turf runner Golden Apples leads the field in the Grade I Ramona Handicap. Beat Hollow, considered one of the country's top male horses on the turf, is expected to be challenged by Casey Griffin, Redattore, Sarafan and Suances in the Eddie Read Handicap The Eddie Read Handicap is an American Thoroughbred horse race for horses age three and up and is raced at a distance of one and one-eighth miles on the turf. The Del Mar Racetrack in Del Mar, California hosts the $400,000, Grade I event, which is an important prep to the Breeders' on Sunday. Del Mar is also a time to get an early look at the crop of 2-year-olds, particularly in the barns of Baffert and his former assistant, Eoin Harty. Crowned Dancer, trained by Christopher Paasch and winner of the Hollywood Juvenile, will be a part of the Sept. 11 Del Mar Futurity The Del Mar Futurity is an American Thoroughbred horse race held annually at Del Mar Racetrack in Del Mar, California. Beginning in the racing season of 2007, this race has been upgraded by the American Graded Stakes Committee from a Grade II event to a Grade I. , but Baffert has won that race for the past six years, so all eyes will be on his barn. Most of the top 2-year-old prospects will not run until the weekend, but a handful will be in the gate today for the third race. Baffert trains two of the six horses in the field, morning-line favorite Bull Market, ridden by Smith, and second choice Macho Image, with Espinoza aboard. Macho Image was owned by Salman's Thoroughbred Corp. Harty sends out Endemaj, with Flores aboard, to face the two Baffert colts as well as Dirty Trick (Desormeaux), Marina Minister (Delahoussaye) and Omega Code (Martin Pedroza) DEL MAR AT A GLANCE What: Del Mar Thoroughbred Club 2002 racing meet. Dates: Begins today for 43 days through Sept. 11. No racing on Tuesdays. Where: Del Mar race track, 100 miles south of Los Angeles on Interstate 5. Post times: First post daily at 2 p.m., except for first four Fridays at 4 p.m., final three Fridays at 3:30 p.m. First post on Pacific Classic Day (Aug. 25) is 12:30 p.m. Gates: Open noon weekdays, 11:30 a.m. weekends, opening and closing day, except for 2 p.m. first four Friday afternoons; 1:30 p.m. final three Fridays; 10:30 a.m. on Pacific Classic Day, Aug. 25. Admission: Clubhouse daily admission, $8; clubhouse crossover from grandstand, $3; clubhouse advance sale discount books (10 admissions), $60; clubhouse reserved seats, $5 ($10 opening day); clubhouse terrace restaurant (per table for 4 per day), $72 ($88 opening day); Cafe Del Sol (per table for 4 per day), $72 (not available opening day); Stretch Run Grill, $60, $76; grandstand daily admission, $5; grandstand reserved seats, $5 ($10 opening day); grandstand advance sale discount books, $25; grandstand admission senior citizen, $3 (62 and over, ID required); grandstand admission active-duty military, free. Parking: General, $4; valet, $15; early bird, $4; bus parking, no charge. Children: No one 17 and under can enter without parents. Children admission is free. Advance tickets: Ten grandstand admissions, $25, or 10 clubhouse admissions, $60. Full season passes - Grandstand, $150; clubhouse, $250. Available through today only. Ticket office: 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Wednesday-Monday. Early bird wagering: 8-10 a.m. each racing day. Programs: Included with paid admission; otherwise, $2. Daily Racing Form: $4. Contacts: (858) 755-1141; info line (858) 793-5533; on the Web at www.dmtc.com. CAPTION(S): box Box: DEL MAR AT A GLANCE (see text) |
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