Dullahan gets the final assured nod for the Breeders’ Cup Classic after claiming the Pacific Classic
Even though the two-time Grade 1 Pacific Classic winner, Richard’s Kid was part of the line-up of the 2012 edition of the race too, the $ 1 million was claimed by Dale L. Romans’ trained, Dullahan, on 26th August at Del Mar. It was not only his third success at a Polytrack rather he ended up smashing the track record by timing the 1 ¼ mile distance in a minute and :59.54 seconds. It was just last year that Acclamation timed the same race in two minutes and :00.61 seconds.
Finishing the race at a half-length distance from the winner was, Game On Dude. As the Bob Baffert trained took charge over Suggestive Boy, Dullahan was racing in fifth. Game On Dude was prominent as he still led at the sixteenth pole with Dullahan racing just about half a length behind, closed in on the distance when responding to the tugging of the jockey, Rosario.
The third place holder, Richard’s Kid found it difficult to end at the first two places as he got crowded on the final turn and was left adrift by 3 ¼ lengths.
"It worked out perfect," said Rosario."He's a one-paced horse. He just goes and goes. When we went for home and I saw (Game On Dude) in front of me, I knew I had a big chance.”
"My horse was coming and coming. He doesn't stop. He's a nice horse; a very nice horse."
The trainer of the runner-up of the race, Bob Baffert, had tried securing his chances with the entry of, Jaycito.
The bottom line for Game On Dude failing in the race and Dullahan bagging the race was about the better horse on polytrack as Awesome Again’s five-year-old gelding performs way better on dirt.
His success in the Pacific Classic has got him an entry in the Breeders’ Cup Challenge series and that too with the favour of the first gate.
Jerry Crawford, who supervises the Donegal Racing partnership said:
"I would respectfully submit that the question with Dullahan is not what surface can he run on, but what surface can't he run on?"
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