Pacific Classic (Grade 1) (BC)- $1,000.000 Purse
DMR- For Three Year Olds and Upward
One Mile and One Quarter on the Dirt
August 18, 2018
He was the only three year old in the field, and was starting from the outside post. Not only that, but he was not one of the top three year olds in the game, at least until this point. He did not race in any TC prep races. In fact, he only made his racing debut in April. Combat Wombat would need a race to show his ability, but since then, he has been perfect and now rides a three race winning streak. After breaking his maiden, trainer Maxmillion Farm showed faith in him in the Grade 3 Dominion Day stakes, and that victory led to this placement. He had a lot of horses to pass in the stretch, but did so brilliantly. A new star has been born, or is at least going to be known now throughout the game! Congratulations to Maxmillion on the win, as well as to jockey R M Hernandez. It’s the first win in the stake for each of them! The time of the win was 2:00.96, a middle of the road time in comparison to past editions. Let’s take a look!
(½ Mile- :48.08)- Con Artist, from Mb Stables is the quickest out of the starting gate, with Bayou Quartier breaking well for Invicta Group Llc, and Range Of The Sun doing the same for Team 7 Illusions. Bayou Quartier would get more of a push just as they hit the start finish line on the opening lap, and would lead going into the opening turn. Air Show, another from Mb Stables would be in a stalking position of this group early, but advanced in the outside lane around the turn. Range Of The Sun would back off a little here as well. Conan The Barbarian, from Night Rider Stables looked good heading into the turn, and was within two lengths early. Also starting well, and from the outside would be Laffin Parrot, for Mo Mentum Farm, but he would ultimately elect to back off from early pursuit. Benzar sat just off the lead about two and half lengths back moving into the turn. In the middle of the back would be Black Mojo, for Mb Stables, and Call Your Doctor, for Crocker Ggs, and this is where Laffin Parrot eventually settled in. State Police was next, on the rail, and about five out. Combat Wombat would be near the back of the pack for Maxmillion Farm, with the eventual winner also needing to make up five lengths. His stablemate Jason Bourne, as well as Made To Sin (John Henry) were the trailers.
(3/4 Mile- 1:11.82)- Down the backstretch, Bayou Quarter shows the way around the track with a length and a half advantage over a four wide group behind him. Con Artist is the inner most of this group, and Benzar has moved up a bit to join them. To his outside was Conan The Barbarian, and Air Show had the outer most lane of that group. Next came Range Of The Sun, and Black Mojo the two main favorites of the race, when considering the survivor contest and not the game’s actual odds. Call Your Doctor and Laffin Parrot completed this four wide group, and State Police was still nearby on the rail. Combat Wombat was running by himself, and seemed to have room to see how things unfolded for him. His deficit to the leaders was nearly six lengths. Made To Sin and Jason Bourne remained at the back.
(Top Of Stretch, 1.5F To Go)- Moving around the turn, Bayou Quartier becomes unable to maintain the pace that he had been setting and drops out of it. Both Benzar and Air Show are happy to take over the lead, and towards the exit of the turn, Benzar seemed to be in particularly good shape. Knowing how he had closed in the stretch in the past, the trainer had to be thrilled. There would be a wall of horses behind him, as the advancing State Police and Call Your Doctor moved up to join the fading Bayou Quartier and Con Artist. Conan The Barbarian seemed to be lacking response. Meanwhile, Laffin Parrot was preparing a move on the outside, which is where he had been for the duration of the race. Range Of The Sun was coming up flat, and Black Mojo had no where to go. As this was going on, R M Hernandez moved his young three year old, Combat Wombat, to the far outside to make his move. At this point, he had three lengths to make up while running about seven wide. His stablemate Jason Bourne was not showing much, though. Made To Sin had a lane setting up for him to take and pass some tiring rivals as long as he ran steady to the wire himself.
(Finish- 2:00.96)- Benzar looked good until about a furlong to go, when it became clear he was not going to hold off the powerful run put forth by Combat Wombat and Laffin Parrot on the outside. Both of these two were strong, but Combat Wombat would be just a little better, and he takes home a half length win. State Police, who advance well while on the inside, got up for second, just ahead of Laffin Parrot and Benzar. Call Your Doctor is fifth. Black Mojo disappoints with a sixth place finish, but what everyone needs to do is cross this out and throw it out when looking at him in future races. He’s fine and had an awful trip here. Made To Sin got up to 7th, a spot ahead of Range Of The Sun, who really doesn’t have the excuses that Black Mojo does. Air Show and Conan The Barbarian tired at the end, though Jason Bourne never showed much of anything. The last two would be the initial first two, Con Artist and Bayou Quartier.
About The Winner: Combat Wombat, trained by Maxmillion Farm and ridden to victory by R M Hernandez, is a three year old gelding by Combastic, and is out of the late Five Be Farl. He was bred in California by Our Athletes as a third quarter two year old, and acquired by Maxmillion, via Aer Stables, in the March 2018 auction for $20.000. Congratulations to the connections! The win is his third in four starts and second graded win. His career earnings are now $712.020.
Track: Fast
Time: :48 1:114 1:36 2:004
$2 Mutuel Prices:
$1 Exacta: 13 – 11 Paid 92.00
$1 Trifecta: 13 – 11 – 12 Paid 1,650.70
Scratched: Handsome
— NS
Categories: Grade I, STAKES ARTICLES
