Blind Luck out of Pacific Classic; 11 entered prior to post draw

Blind Luck out of Pacific Classic; 11 entered prior to post

draw

Eclipse Award-winning filly BLIND LUCK (Pollard's Vision) was not entered

Wednesday morning in Sunday's $1 million Pacific Classic (G1) as had been

eagerly anticipated. The four-year-old will train up to the Lady's Secret S.

(G1) on October 1 at Santa Anita, her final scheduled start before the $2

million Breeders' Cup Ladies Classic (G1) on November 4 at Churchill Downs.

"I just didn't want to run her against the colts," trainer Jerry Hollendorfer

said by telephone from Northern California on Wednesday morning. "I didn't want

to ship her across the country either."

Hollendorfer had also been considering the Personal Ensign (G1) at Saratoga

and Molly Pitcher S. (G2) at Monmouth Park, which will both be held Sunday.

"Sometimes patience is the best virtue," the Hall of Fame conditioner said.

Blind Luck had been scheduled Luck to undergo a final workout on Wednesday

for a possible Pacific Classic bid, but Hollendorfer assistant Dan Ward oversaw

a routine gallop for the filly and said a more serious exercise would be moved

back to Thursday or Friday.

"She had trained well enough (to consider the Classic),  but I don't

think she really likes this track," Ward said. "Everybody said last year we ran

her too much and shipped her too much. We've already run six times and shipped

three times this year."

Blind Luck presently has a three-race win streak, winning the July 16

Delaware H. (G2) most recently.

Eleven horses have been entered in Sunday's 21st running of the 1 1/4-mile

Pacific Classic and they will receive their stall assignments at the post

position draw Wednesday evening at the Rancho Valencia Resort.

The 11, in alphabetical order, are ACCLAMATION (Unusual Heat), BOURBON BAY (Sligo

Bay [Ire]),  DON CAVALLO (El Prado [Ire]), GAME ON DUDE (Awesome Again)),

GREAT WARRIOR (Brz) (Leroidesanimaux [Brz]), JERANIMO (Congaree), QUINDICI MAN

(Came Home), SETSUKO (Pleasantly Perfect), STATELY VICTOR (Ghostzapper), TRES

BORRACHOS (Ecton Park) and TWIRLING CANDY (Candy Ride [Arg]).

The connections for Eddie Read (G1) winner Acclamation, owner Bud Johnston

and trainer Don Warren, were undecided between the Pacific Classic and the

$200,000 Del Mar H. (G2) on the Classic undercard before Acclamation worked six

furlongs in 1:12 3/5 Monday morning under Patrick Valenzuela. Clockers termed

the work "impressive.: And it was, Warren said, the deciding factor.

"He worked the last quarter in :23 and looked great doing it, so we're going

to take a shot," Warren said of Acclamation, who has reeled off three straight

graded stakes wins on turf. "I thought for weeks we should leave him on turf.

But you have to reserve your opinion until you see him work (on Polytrack) and

after that, we thought we might as well go for the million."

It will be the sixth Pacific Classic mount for Valenzuela and he'll be aiming

for his second win. The first came on Best Pal in the inaugural Pacific Classic

in 1991.

Multiple Grade 2 turf star Bourbon Bay, winner of the local Pacific Classic

prep, the Cougar II H. (G3) on July 29 at 1 1/2 miles on Polytrack, is expected

to be entered Thursday in Sunday's $200,000, Del Mar H. (G2) at 1 3/8 miles on

the turf and may opt for that race over the Pacific Classic.