DEL MAR ---- When 6-year-old gelding Awesome Gem enters the starting gate for Sunday's Pacific Classic, two things sure to happen: He will trail early in the race, making his move on the far turn, and he will give his all.
Awesome Gem entered the Pacific Classic for the third straight year on Wednesday night, drawing the outside post in a field of 12.
"I don't like the post," trainer Craig Dollase said, "but it's better than being inside. Alex (Solis, jockey) knows how to ride him. We're just happy to be in our third (Pacific Classic)."
Colonel John, last year's Santa Anita Derby and Travers Stakes winner, was installed as the 5-2 morning-line favorite for the 1 1/4-mile race on Del Mar's Polytrack. Colonel John, who will be ridden by Garrett Gomez, drew the No. 6 post.
Einstein, the winner of this year's Santa Anita Handicap, drew the No. 10 post was installed at 7-2, followed Hollywood Gold Cup winner Rail Trip (No. 3) at 4-1.
Awesome Gem, the West Point Thoroughbreds' standard bearer on the West Coast, finished second in the 2007 Pacific Classic, losing by a half-length to Student Council. Last year, making his second start off a layoff, he finished seventh in a race won by Go Between.
Awesome Gem has earned $1.4 million in 28 career starts. He has five wins, 11 seconds and three thirds.
"He's a horse that really shows up every time and we just hope one of these times everything kind of breaks in his favor and we get the money," West Point president Terry Finley said on a national teleconference this week. "We sure would like it to be on a day when they put a million dollars into the purse."
Though the second-place finishes can be hard to swallow at times, Finley said he really doesn't mind.
"Obviously we're disappointed, but not to be frustrated with a horse that really tries hard every time, that's all you ask him," said Finley, whose company sets up partnerships for thoroughbred ownership. "You know, we strap it on and we load him up in the gate ... I can't remember a race that he really didn't try his best, so what more can you ask for?
"You know, he's a one-dimension horse (that) comes from out of it, so there again, we need a pace. And you know there are races where it doesn't set up quite as well as other races, so we're not really frustrated. We're disappointed for him and the partners, but he's such a joy to be around, you know he's exactly the kind of horse that we're looking for.
"And I just hope that before he retires, we get a chance to get him into the winner's circle in one of these (big races)."
Awesome Gem seems to be running well. He won an allowance race at Hollywood Park before finishing a fast-closing second in the Grade I Eddie Read on the Del Mar turf on July 25. He then ran second with a very wide trip in the Longacres Mile at Emerald Downs on Aug. 16.
This will be Awesome Gem's third race in six weeks. Dollase isn't worried.
"We're good," he said. "He's in good form right now."
Another fatality
Del Mar officials confirmed the death of the 12th thoroughbred of the meet, as Bell Canyon Road broke down Tuesday morning during a workout.
The fatal injury was first reported by the Daily Racing Form.
Bell Canyon Road, a 3-year-old maiden filly trained by Barry Abrams, fractured sesamoids in her right front leg.
It is the eighth fatal injury on the Polytrack in a morning workout. Four deaths have occurred from racing injuries, one of which came on the grass.
Abrams told the Daily Racing Form: "I'd been lucky this meet. The odds catch up to you."
Easy win for Camille C
Dropping down into the California-bred ranks after a fourth-place finish in the Sorrento Stakes, Camille C ($12.20) won the $100,000 Generous Portion Stakes for 2-year-old fillies by 1 1/4 lengths over 17-10 favorite Whispering Hush.
Camille C covered the 6 furlongs on the Polytrack in 1 minute, 10.50 seconds.
"We've been pointing for this race," winning trainer Marcelo Polanco said. "We were fourth in the Sorrento, but she was the only Cal-bred in the field so she did pretty well."
Jockey Rafael Bejarano, who was injured in a fall on opening day and returned to riding last week, won his first stakes of the meet. Bejarano, who suffered multiple facial fractures, won the race without the protective mask he started wearing when he returned.
"I stopped wearing my mask after two days back," he said. "I might wear it on occasion, but I don't think I need it so much.
"It's too hot now for it, anyway."
Big payoff
With a carryover of 169,634.17 heading into the Pick Six, there was just one winning ticket standing at the end of the day. It was worth $729,292.20.
The ticket was bought at a Connecticut off-track betting parlor, but the size of the ticket won't be known until Thursday.
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