The world has a Triple Crown and so does Southern California.
Lava Man, winner of the Santa Anita Handicap and Hollywood Gold Cup, will attempt on Sunday to complete a sweep of LaLa Land's Big Three by winning the $1 million Grade I Pacific Classic, Del Mar's richest race.
The event is for older horses and will be contested at the classic distance of 1 1/4th miles.
Lava Man, winner of five straight, emerged as an 8/5 morning favorite.
He will break from the No. 2 post with Corey Nakatani aboard.
Laxa Man strongly will be contested by several hopefuls, most notably 2005 Kentucky Derby champion Giacomo, who was 3/1 and again will be ridden by Mike Smith.
After his Derby victory, Giacomo failed in Preakness and Belmont Stakes bids, then was sidelined with an injury that kept him out of action for months. The horse's early comeback attempts also proved futile and Giacomo appeared headed out to pasture -- minus his Run for the Roses pedigree, perhaps even the glue factory -- when he grabbed a victory in Del Mar's San Diego Handicap, narrowly beating Preachinatthebar, one of his seven Sunday
opponents.
Preachinatthebar, a Bob Baffert trainee, opened at 12/1.
Perfect Drift, a Thoroughbred who seems to have been around forever and has more than $4 million in earnings, is another leading challenger.
The 6/1 shot will have jockey Mark Guidry in the saddle.
Others in the field and their morning line odds are Magnum, 5/1; Super Frolic, 8/1; Good Reward, 10/1; and Top This And That, 20/1.
Jack Schneider, race book manager at Sam's Town, is in Giacomo's corner and believes the former Kentucky Derby champ is primed for a big effort.
"He's quick and coming up to this race perfectly," Schneider said.
"it'll be tougher than his last race, but he's up to it."
Schneider believes Lava Man already has gone to the well one too many times.
"How many is it?" he asked.
"Four or five?
"Very few horses can keep doing it and he was tired in his last couple of races."
Brian Gabrielle is a documented member of the Professional Handicappers League. Read all of his articles at http://www.procappers.com/Brian_Gabrielle.htm
Source: www.a1articles.com
