It's always somewhat difficult to accurately assess the performances of juvenile runners.  Many times they are racing against other horses that won't amount to anything in the future, or they themselves don't develop much going forward relative to their rivals.  That being said, it's tough not to have your interest piqued when you see a juvenile win in an impressive manner, like Weemissfrankie did at Del Mar on Saturday.

In the first two starts of her career, Weemissfrankie has displayed a very nice mid-pack running style with a strong closing kick over the final quarter mile. She earned identical Beyers of 77 for each performance and looks like a filly that could get better when stretched out over additional ground. Additionally, she's got enough tactical speed at her disposal to avoid the dreaded "stone-cold closer" tag (see chart below), something that I think brings more obstacles than benefits.

Weemissfrankie - Internal Splits

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Yesterday, Saratoga took center stage in the horse racing world.  Today it's Del Mar and the 21st running of the Grade 1 Pacific Classic  (post time: 5:00pm Pacific; TV: TVG). Eleven horses will line-up in the starting gate for the Pacific Classic, led by local favorites Game On Dude and Twirling Candy.  Below is a look at today's field.

(Note: I'll have a Pacific Classic Day open thread up in an hour or so. This is a much better day for us West Coasters, as we don't have to get up at the crack of dawn to check the changes and review our planned bets.  In short, I get to sleep in.)

The Field

1-Don Cavallo: An interesting mid-shot in the field after running very well at over the Polytrack at Woodbine, including an easy win in the Grade 3 Dominion Day at today's distance of 10 furlongs. The horse that finished 2^nd to him at Woodbine that day, James Street, came back to win the G3-Seagram Cup in his next start. Clocker reports at Del Mar indicate that Don Cavallo's taken to the surface very nicely and could be sitting on a big race. 

2-Jeranimo: This horse has spent all of 2011 racing on grass but has plenty of experience running over the old synthetic surface at Santa Anita back in 2010, including a win in the G2-Strub. He seems to be cut out for distances just a smidge shorter than today's mile and a quarter.

3-Stately Victor: This Ghostzapper colt has three lifetime victories - one over the Poly at Woodbine, one over the Poly at Keeneland, and one over the turf at Saratoga - so at least he's on the right surface for today's race.  Stately Victor has never shied away from top-level competition, but he's never been a top-level horse and he seems like a long shot to become one in this race.

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While it's probably too early to make a definitive statement regarding the tendencies of the main track at Del Mar during the 2011 meet, during the first two weeks we've seen a slightly different winning profile for horses going two-turns.  Prior to the start of the current meet, approximately 60% of the winners of two-turn races on the Polytrack have been more than two lengths back of the leaders after a 1/2 mile.  Additionally, just under 20% of all winners during that time were leading after a 1/2 mile. 

Through the first two weeks of the current meet, horses leading after a 1/2 mile in two-turn races on the main track are 5-for-13, a winning percentage that doubles the 2007 through 2010 trend.  We'll see if those numbers hold over the rest of the meet.

263 Polytrack Routes (2007-2010)
52 (19.8%): Leading after 1/2 mile
54 (20.5%): Within 2.0 lengths after 1/2 mile
157 (59.7): More than 2.0 lengths back after 1/2 mile

13 Polytrack Routes (2011)
5 (38.5%): Leading after 1/2 mile
2 (15.4%): Within 2.0 lengths after 1/2 mile
6 (46.2%): More than 2.0 lengths back after 1/2 mile

The first Grade 1 event of the 2011 Del Mar meet is the Eddie Read Stakes, a nine furlong race on the turf for three-year-olds and up.  A field of eight is slated to go into the starting gate on Saturday (post time 5:30pm Pacific).

A few thoughts on the field:

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Where The Turf Meets The Surf

Today begins the 2011 meet at the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club in Southern California.  Since it's first year of racing in 1937, Del Mar has been the one of the most popular summer racing meets in the United States, along with it's East Coast counterpart - Saratoga.

This year's Del Mar meet will run from July 20th until September 7th, and will feature eight Grade 1 stakes races, including the TVG Pacific Classic on August 28th.

Below is a look at some of the races at Del Mar on the first day of the 2011 meeting.  You can also find a list of the scheduled stakes races for the meet at the end of the post.

Race 1: OC40K/N1X, 3up, 1 Mile (Polytrack)

The first few races of any meet can always be a bit challenging given the relative unknown nature of the track conditions. The fact that we are presented with a two-turn race on the main track makes the situation all the more fascinating as the main track at Del Mar has been a graveyard for speed since the changeover to Polytrack. 

263 Polytrack Routes
52 (20%): Leading after ½ mile
54 (21%): Within 2.0 lengths after ½ mile
157 (60%): More than 2.0 lengths back after ½ mile

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I rarely concern myself with stewards' inquiries or objections following a race but I think the events of yesterday's Del Mar Derby (chart) warrant an additional look.  (If you didn't see the race you can watch a replay here.)

Twirling Candy clearly interferes with Summer Movie coming off the first turn onto the backstretch (if you watch the head-on replay it's even more obvious) and I think it's pretty clear that the interference caused Summer Movie to alter course and lose ground.  And even though Twirling Candy was easily the best horse in the field I'm not sure he should have stayed up given the Riding Rule of the California Horse Racing Board.

According to Rule #1699 (b) and (c) of the CHRB:

(b) A horse shall not interfere with or cause any other horse to lose stride, ground or position in a part of the race where the horse loses the opportunity to place where it might be reasonably expected to finish.

(c) A horse which interferes with another and thereby causes any other horse to lose stride, ground or position, when such other horse is not at fault and when such interference occurs in a part of the race where the horse interfered with loses the opportunity to place where it might, in the opinion of the Stewards, be reasonably expected to finish, may be disqualified and placed behind the horse so interfered with.

From the letter of law, as declared by the CHRB, it's questionable as to how the Stewards could have left Twirling Candy up as the winner since he clearly caused Summer Movie to lose ground.  I can only assume that the decision was predicated on the phrase "the horse interfered with loses the opportunity to place where it might, in the opinion of the Stewards, be reasonably expected to finish" and that the Stewards concluded that Summer Movie would have finished last regardless of the incident.  Considering that Summer Movie was second when the incident occurred and ultimately finished last I'm not sure how they could have come to that conclusion.

The Stewards' job is never easy but I'm not sure you could ask for a more clear example of interference.

Richard's Kid pulled by Crowded House in the final furlong to win his second straight Grade 1 Pacific Classic.

1st: Richard's Kid (11.60, 5.60, 3.80)
2nd: Crowded House (GB) (10.60, 6.40)
3rd: Dakota Phone (4.80)

Splits: 24.82, 49.25, 1:13.78, 1:38.29, 2:03.27

Chart (via DRF.com)

In what could turn out to be a wide open and excellent betting race, The Usual Q.T. receives morning line favoritism following his win in the Grade 1 Eddie Read over the Del Mar turf course in his last race.  He'll face nine other colts and geldings on Saturday, including last year's winner, Richard's Kid.

Grade 1 Pacific Classic
Del Mar
1 1/4 miles
Three year olds and up
Purse: $1,000,000
Post-time: 4:30 PDT

A look at the field below the jump.

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