Dullahan, Byrama, Kettle Corn work for Pacific Classic

With one week to go before the Grade 1, $1 million Pacific Classic, there was

activity from major candidates both at Del Mar and Churchill Downs Sunday

morning.

At Del Mar, Byrama and Kettle Corn put in final workouts for anticipated

starts in the 23rd running of the signature event of the summer meeting, while

defending champion Dullahan breezed at Churchill.

Dullahan went five furlongs in :59 4/5, the second-best of 17 timed at the

distance beneath the Twin Spires. In 2012, eight days before the Pacific

Classic, the Dale Romans charge worked five furlongs at Churchill in a bullet

1:00 2/5, the best of 18 at the distance that day.

A three-time Grade 1 winner, Dullahan warmed up with a solid third in the

July 13 Arlington Handicap on turf. Dullahan and fellow Classic candidate

Delegation are scheduled to travel from Louisville to Del Mar on the same plane,

departing Monday morning and arriving Monday evening on the West Coast.

Vanity Handicap heroine Byrama, a four-year-old filly who was third in the

Clement L. Hirsch on August 3, is under consideration to become the fourth

female starter in Classic history.

The English-bred daughter of Byron went five Polytrack furlongs under

exercise rider Loren Robinson in :59 3/5 and galloped out six furlongs in 1:12

4/5. Earlier fractions were :24 3/5 for the first quarter and :47 3/5 for a

half-mile.

"A textbook work," said Aron Wellman, head of the Eclipse Thoroughbred

Partners ownership group. "She's gotten so professional, so relaxed. She

galloped out strong, she really seems to enjoy this track and went really

smoothly over it.

"We're preparing to run. We'll keep a close eye on her the next couple days.

She's such a tough filly and we know her so well that she'll tell us what to do.

"If there's any (negative) indication, we'll do something else. But right

now, she's clicking on all cylinders."

Kettle Corn, winner of the San Diego Handicap on July 27, went seven furlongs

in 1:26 2/5 under exercise rider Jose Alvarez. Kettle Corn broke off two lengths

behind stablemate Sweet Sunshine in a team drill and made up the difference

crossing under the wire. Interim splits were :13 2/5, :38, :50 3/5 and 1:14 2/5

with some cautionary slowing on the gallop-out as the warning sirens went off

due to a loose horse on the track.

"A very nice work, everything's go," trainer John Sadler said.

Sadler's other Pacific Classic candidate, You Know I Know, is scheduled to

breeze on Monday as is Bob Baffert-trained Game On Dude.

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