By Christie DeBernardis
Dual Grade I winner Accelerate (Lookin at Lucky) is clearly the one to beat in Saturday's GI Pacific Classic at Del Mar during what has been a stellar 2018 season for the 5-year-old. Third behind the Bob Baffert-trained Collected (City Zip) and Accelerate (Unbridled's Song) in last year's renewal of this event, the chestnut scored that seemingly elusive first Grade I score with a 5 1/2-length tour de force in the GI Big 'Cap Mar. 10. He was a neck second to fellow Grade I winner City of Light (City Zip) in the GII Oaklawn H. Apr. 14 and returned to winning ways with a decisive score in the GI Gold Cup at Santa Anita May 26.
The only other Grade I winner in this year's field is the globe-trotting Pavel (Creative Cause), who became the first top-level victor for his young sire last time with a 3 3/4-length tally in Churchill Downs's GI Stephen Foster H. June 16. Kicking off this term with a fourth to Accelerate in the Feb. 3 GII San Pasqual S., the gray was a respectable fourth when making the trip to Meydan for the G1 Dubai Gold Cup Mar. 31 and filled the same spot in the Big 'Cap.
Baffert, a five-time winner of this event, sends out a pair of contenders in Dr. Dorr (Lookin at Lucky) and Roman Rosso (Arg) (Roman Ruler). A dominant winner of both the Santana Mile and GII Californian S. earlier this term, which Collected won in similar fashion prior to his Pac Classic score, Dr. Dorr checked in second in the Gold Cup and was a disappointing ninth in the GII Suburban H. at Belmont July 7. He rebounded with a second to a powerhouse performance from Catalina Cruiser (Union Rags) in the GII San Diego H. July 21, which is the local prep for this test. Roman Rosso won five of his eight starts in his native Argentina, including three Group 1s, and makes his U.S. debut here.
Another worth a look is The Lieutenant (Street Sense), best known as the older half-brother to undefeated Triple Crown winner Justify (Scat Daddy). Winner of Golden Gate's GIII All American S. May 28, the bay lost nothing in defeat when second behind a dominant performance from Diversify (Bellamy Road) in the Suburban, an effort which was further flattered when Diversify scored another impressive victory in the prestigious GI Whitney S. next out Aug. 4.
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