Go Between goes around to take Pacific Classic

Go Between subdues Well Armed in the Pacific Classic, finally netting his first Grade 1 score (Benoit Photo) Peter Vegso's homebred GO BETWEEN (Point Given) took the long way around entering the stretch of Sunday's $1 million Pacific Classic (G1) at Del Mar, circling his rivals four wide, and ran down Well Armed (Tiznow) late to get the neck victory under jockey Garrett Gomez. In the process, the Bill Mott-trained five-year-old earned an automatic berth in the Breeders' Cup Classic (G1), which will take place over Santa Anita's new Pro-Ride surface on October 25. Go Between has had no trouble getting over a variety of synthetic tracks, but had found the winner's circle only once this year, that coming in the Sunshine Millions Classic in his 2008 bow. Since then, the chestnut has finished second in his three other starts -- the Santa Anita H. (G1) at Santa Anita, the Ben Ali S. (G3) at Keeneland and the Hollywood Gold Cup (G1) at Hollywood Park. Also a winner of last year's Fayette S. (G3) at Keeneland, he has spent 19 of his other 20 starts racing on the turf, racking up wins in the 2006 editions of the Virginia Derby (G2) and Palm Beach S. (G3). In addition to his three seconds prior to this race, Go Between has placed in eight other black-type events, and now sports a 26-8-7-6 record having banked $2,783,880 lifetime.

Go Between earned a shot to add to those totals in the Breeders' Cup Classic

after settling near the back in this event. Barcola (Old Trieste) set the

early splits of :23 2/5, :47 1/5 and 1:12 1/5 with Surf Cat (Sir Cat) on the

rail and Well Armed to his outside waiting to pounce just in behind. All the

while, Gomez kept Go Between clear of any traffic or trouble, saving his mount

for the final dash to the wire in the stretch. As Well Armed ranged up to take

command rounding the turn, Gomez pushed the button and Go Between took off. It

took the veteran runner a few jumps to settle into stride, but once he did the

chestnut wore down a stubborn Well Armed to finish 1 1/4 miles in a new Polytrack record of 2:01.

"I was really pleased with my position. I was back there but I was only

seven or eight (lengths) off them," said Gomez, who captured the Del Mar Mile H.

(G2) on Whatsthescript (Ire) (Royal Applause [GB]) just prior to this race. "The only

time I had to make a decision was at the 4 1/2 (furlong) pole. I had to

decide whether to wait and make that late run or go around and go for it right

then and there. I decided to go for it and it worked.

"It sure helps when you have a horse like him. It makes me look good. Bill

Mott and his crew do a heckuva job. They make my job easy."

Go Between paid $7.60, $4.20 and $3 while keying the $1 exotics of $34.30

(exacta), $164 (trifecta) and $1,672.20 (6-7-8-3 superfecta) as the 5-2

favorite. Well Armed, sent off at 7-1, held second by 2 1/4 lengths over Mast Track (Mizzen Mast)

to return $7.60 and $5.60, while show gave back $5.80 at 8-1.

Completing the order under the line were Zappa (Afternoon Deelites),

defending champion Student Council (Kingmambo),

Surf Cat, Awesome Gem (Awesome Again), Mostacolli Mort (Hold For Gold), Delosvientos (Siphon [Brz])

and Barcola. McCann's Mojave (Memo [Chi]) was an early scratch.

Bred in Florida by Vegso Racing Stable, Go Between is out of the multiple

Grade/Group 3-placed listed winner Mediation (Ire) (Caerleon), making him a

half-brother to the Group 2-placed Extreme Beauty (Rahy) and an unraced juvenile

colt named Matai (Orchard Park). He also has a 2008 full sister, and comes from

the same family as multiple English and French champion sprinter Sharpo (Sharpen

Up).