Pacific Classic

Borrego (green shadow roll) rallied for his first stakes win in the Pacific Classic (Michael J. Marten/Horsephotos.com)

Kelly Ralls & Foster LLC et al’s BORREGO (El Prado [Ire]) earned his first
stakes victory in style on Sunday, taking the $1 million
Pacific Classic (G1) by
a half-length under jockey Garrett Gomez. The Beau Greely charge settled into
ninth in the early going of the fast-track test, before putting in a wide run
down the stretch to stop the clock for 1 1/4 miles in 2:00 3/5.

Lava Man (Slew City Slew) exited the gate as the 3-2 favorite in the 11-horse
field, and proceeded to set quick splits of :22 3/5, :45 4/5 and 1:10 1/5, all
the while just a head in front of Surf Cat (Sir Cat). The latter was tracking in
between the pacesetter on the rail and Super Frolic (Pine Bluff) to his outside,
but started to fade as the rest of the field caught up entering the turn. Lava
Man looked a winner exiting the turn, getting a mile in 1:35 1/5, but by that
time, Gomez and Borrego had started their run. Accompanied by Perfect Drift
(Dynaformer) down the stretch, Borrego came six wide to overhaul Lava Man a
few jumps before the wire.

Borrego was sent off the 11-1 fifth-choice and rewarded his faithful
supporters with payouts of $24.40, $8.80 and $4.20 while keying the $1 exotics
that returned $58.50 (exacta), $217.70 (trifecta) and $1,339.40 (3-12-4-2
superfecta). Perfect Drift was worth $5.40 and $3.20 as the 4-1 second pick
while overpowering Lava Man, worth $2.50, by a neck at the wire.

Next across the line came Choctaw Nation (Louis Quatorze), Super Frolic, Surf
Cat, Oceanus (Brz) (Rainbow Corner [GB]), Congrats (A.P. Indy), Island Fashion
(Petionville), Ace Blue (Brz) (Coax Me) and Musique Toujours (Musique d’Enfer).
Polish Times (Sea Hero) was an early scratch.