7/22/2010

TRACK WILL BE WATCHED AT DEL MAR

Of particular interest to horsemen will be the Del Mar Polytrack surface. Last year, there were problems early on, with six catastrophic injuries during a 10-day span, and trainers complained that the surface was inconsistent from the morning to the afternoon. Del Mar has hired a new track superintendent, Richard Tedesco, who oversaw the race meeting at Santa Anita.

Among the highlights of the meet could be an appearance by unbeaten Zenyatta in the $300,000 Clement L. Hirsch Stakes on Aug. 7.

The $1-million Pacific Classic at 1 1/4 miles remains the richest race of a summer meeting that will have approximately $22 million in purses. It will be run on Aug. 28.

Del Mar is the place where many trainers try to unveil their top 2-year-olds, so beware of trainers Bob Baffert and John Sadler as they bring out their young horses. Last year, Sadler debuted Sidney's Candy, who went on to win this year's Santa Anita Derby.

On the final day of the Hollywood Park meeting, the Baffert-trained Smash was an impressive maiden winner in a 2-year-old race and figures to contend in the stakes events for 2-year-old colts at Del Mar.

Baffert said there's a good chance he'll bring back Take Control, a 3-year-old son of 1992 horse of the year A.P. Indy out of 2002 horse of the year Azeri. Take Control, purchased for $1.9 million, went to the sidelines with bucked shins after winning his first and only race last December at a mile at Santa Anita.

by Eric Sondheimer
from latimes.com