Pacific Ocean put it all together with an easy win in the Underwood (Benoit Photos)

JMJ Racing Stables' Pacific Ocean  proved far too swift for his eight challengers to pass in Saturday's Grade 3, $100,000 Vernon O. Underwood Stakes at Hollywood Park, ripping through a quarter in :21 2/5, a half in :43 3/5, and then extending his margin to 2 1/4 lengths at the finish while completing six furlongs over the Cushion Track in 1:08 2/5. Defeating a field that included Grade 1 winners Euroears, M One Rifle and Comma to the Top, Pacific Ocean paid $16.80, $8.60 and $6 as the 7-1 fifth choice.

"Even though he was going fast, he was pretty relaxed," jockey Joel Rosario said. "I tried to let him get away on the turn and he responded."

Irrefutable, one of three entrants for Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert, made up nearly eight lengths in the final quarter-mile to grab runner-up honors by a half-length over M One Rifle, but unfortunately collapsed and died after being unsaddled after the race.

Pacific Ocean relished the new scenery in his California debut (Benoit Photos)

The lightly-raced Pacific Ocean was trained by Wayne Catalano prior to joining the Mike Mitchell barn this fall. He made a winning debut at Arlington Park in August 2010, registering a 3 1/2-length win over 6 1/2 furlongs. He maintained his unbeaten streak winning a seven-furlong Keeneland allowance by four lengths in October of that year, then easily captured another allowance at the same venue this past April. Pacific Ocean made a belated run to finish second in his stakes debut, the Grade 3 Hanshin Cup at Arlington, on May 21, but was a dull seventh after a wide journey in the July 20 Bold Venture Stakes at Woodbine in his most recent outing. His record now stands at 6-4-1-0, $153,199.

"The owners live in California and they decided they want to run some horses, so they brought some here from back east," Mitchell said. "They picked me out as a trainer and it worked out great."