United Seeks to Keep Win Streak Alive at Del Mar

LNJ Foxwoods' United will be seeking to keep his spotless 2020 record intact when making his fourth outing this year in the Aug. 22 Del Mar Handicap Presented by The Japan Racing Association (G2T) at Del Mar.

The 1 3/8-mile, three-turn turf test that is the seventh race on the TVG Pacific Classic Stakes (G1) card offers a purse of $200,000 and is a Breeders' Cup Challenge Series "Win and You're In" qualifier for the $6 million Longines Breeders' Cup Turf (G1T).

Trained by Hall of Famer Richard Mandella, United finished second to eventual Horse of the Year Bricks and Mortar in last year's edition of the Breeders' Cup Turf before completing the season with a runner-up effort in the Hollywood Turf Cup Stakes (G2T) at Del Mar. 

One of five graded stakes winners in the 11-horse field, United will break from the rail under jockey Flavien Prat and comes into the race with three victories in as many starts in 2020, all in grade 2 stakes.

The 5-year-old gelded son of Giant's Causeway is coming off a facile victory in the Eddie Read Handicap (G2T) in which he won a stretch duel with Neptune's Storm and held off a fast-closing Sharp Samurai for a half-length score. United won the Feb. 1 San Marcos Stakes (G2T) at Santa Anita Park before a victory in the Charles Whittingham Stakes (G2T).

Hronis Racing's Combatant, the only top-level winner in the field by virtue of his main-track victory in the Santa Anita Handicap (G1) this year, will seek to score his first grass victory after eight attempts. The 5-year-old Scat Daddy ridgling won the biggest race of his career in his second start for Hronis and trainer John Sadler after being purchased by agent David Ingordo for $220,000 at last year's Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale.

Red King, the winner of the 1 3/4-mile San Juan Capistrano Stakes (G3T) at Santa Anita for owners Little Red Feather Racing, Gordon Jacobsen, and Philip Belmonte in his most recent outing, will have Del Mar leading rider Umberto Rispoli in the irons for the second time for trainer Philip D'Amato.

Trainer Richard Baltas will be represented by the pair of Oscar Dominguez and North County Guy.

Owned by Nancy Messineo and Bruce Sands, Oscar Dominguez has won or placed in 18 of 40 starts, with the 7-year-old gelding's six wins highlighted by a victory over United in last year's Hollywood Turf Cup. Oscar Dominguez was seventh in the TVG Elkhorn Stakes (G2T) at Keeneland in his return off a layoff of more than three months.

Also campaigned by Messineo and Sands, North County Guy was unplaced in his lone stakes outing in 24 starts and is coming off a second, beaten three-quarters of a length by Del Mar Handicap entrant Proud Pedro, in an allowance optional claimer over the same course and distance.

Trained by Jeff Mullins, BG Stables' Originaire finished second in the Whittingham, a half-length behind United, and then was fifth in the Eddie Read.

Entries: Del Mar H. Presented by The Japan Racing Association (G2T)

Del Mar, Saturday, August 22, 2020, Race 7

• Grade IIT
• 1 3/8m
• Turf
• $200,000
• 3 yo's & up
• 5:06 PM (local)

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	1United (KY)	Flavien Prat	126	Richard E. Mandella	8/5
2	2Another Mystery (IL)	Victor Espinoza	119	Michael W. McCarthy	20/1
3	3Combatant (KY)	Ricardo Gonzalez	123	John W. Sadler	8/1
4	4Big Buzz (KY)	Edwin A. Maldonado	117	Adam Kitchingman	20/1
5	5Ward 'n Jerry (CA)	Mike E. Smith	120	Mike Puype	10/1
6	6Proud Pedro (FR)	Juan J. Hernandez	119	Leonard Powell	12/1
7	7Red King (KY)	UMBERTO RISPOLI	120	Philip D'Amato	8/1
8	8New Year (KY)	Tiago Josue Pereira	117	Juan Andres Rodriguez	20/1
9	9Oscar Dominguez (IRE)	Drayden Van Dyke	122	Richard Baltas	6/1
10	10Originaire (IRE)	Abel Cedillo	121	Jeff Mullins	5/1
11	11North County Guy (CA)	Mario Gutierrez	118	Richard Baltas	15/1