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Richard's Kid out to defend Pacific Classic title

Wed 25th, August 2010

Del Mar, CA (Sports Network) - Richard's Kid, trained by Bob Baffert, will defend his crown in Saturday's $1 million Pacific Classic at Del Mar versus nine challengers. The winner of the 1 1/4-mile stakes will automatically gain entry into this year's Breeders' Cup Classic at Churchill Downs in November.

Won last year by Richard's Kid on Labor Day, the Pacific Classic will mark its 20th running this weekend. The five-year-old thoroughbred can become the third horse to win the stakes in consecutive years.

Owned by Zabeel Racing, Richard's Kid will start from post six with Mike Smith riding. Smith rode Richard's Kid in last year's Classic. Smith also won the 2002 Classic with Came Home.

In his last two starts, both with Martin Garcia aboard, the horse finished third both times.

Richard's Kid is the winner of seven of 25 career races for just under $1 million. Last month he was third in the Cougar II Handicap at Del Mar and earlier in July finished behind Awesome Gem and Rail Trip in the Hollywood Gold Cup.

His only win since last year's Classic was in February's San Antonio Handicap at Santa Anita. Also this year, Richard's Kid was seventh in the Dubai World Cup.

San Diego Handicap winner Dakota Phone will attempt to duplicate stablemate Blind Luck's victory in last week's Alabama. The five-year-old gelding will be ridden by Joel Rosario from post three. Rosario was aboard Blind Luck for the Alabama win. Jerry Hollendorfer trains both horses.

Dakota Phone's San Diego win snapped a 16-race losing streak by the Kentucky- bred. He had won on November 28, 2008 at Golden Gate Fields in the Forty Niner Stakes. In 29 career starts, the five-year-old has five wins and $583.810.

"We've had this horse a long time," noted the trainer, "and made money, but he's done it the hard way (not winning often)."

Awesome Gem, winner of the Hollywood Gold Cup, has drawn post nine with jockey David Flores. The seven-year-old gelding is owned by West Point Thoroughbreds and trained by Craig Dollase.

The chestnut gelding this year posted runner-up finishes in the Charles Town Classic and Lone Star Park Handicap. He was third in the New Orleans Handicap and eighth in this year's Frank Kilroe Handicap at Santa Anita Park.

In his career the gelding has won seven of 36 starts for more than $2.2 million.

This will be Awesome Gem's fourth straight start in the Pacific Classic. He was second to Student Council in 2007 and seventh in each of the last two editions.

Here is the complete field for the Pacific Classic in post position order: Battle of Hastings, Brice Blanc, 10-1; Isle Of Giant's, Patrick Valenzuela, 30-1; Dakota Phone, Joel Rosario, 6-1; Temple City, Rafael Bejarano, 5-1; Unusual Suspect, Alonso Quinonez, 20-1; Richard's Kid, Mike Smith, 7-2; Hold Me Back, Garrett Gomez, 8-1; Crowded House, Corey Nakatani, 20-1; Awesome Gem, David Flores, 9-2 and The Usual Q.T., Victor Espinoza, 3-1.

All ten runners will carry 124 pounds.

Best Pal, a new Hall of Fame inductee, won the inaugural running in 1991. Tinner's Way won back-to-back Classics in 1994 and 1995, and Skimming duplicated that feat in 2000 and 2001. In 2006, Lava Man won the Pacific Classic along with the Santa Anita Handicap and Hollywood Gold Cup.