Colonel John, Einstein headline $1 million Pacific Classic

Colonel John, Einstein headline Pacific Classic

DEL MAR, Calif — West Coast star Colonel John and Eastern-based Einstein lead a field of 12 for the $1 million Pacific Classic at Del Mar on Sunday.

Colonel John, the multiple stakes winner who races for WinStar Farm, was the 5-2 morning line favorite and drew post No. 6 in the big field.

Einstein, a 7-year-old Brazilian-bred who has won stakes on dirt, grass and synthetic surfaces from coast to coast, was the 7-2 second choice. Purchased last week by racing mogul Frank Stronach, Einstein drew post 10.

The Pacific Classic, for 3-year-olds and up, is run at 1¼ miles on Polytrack surface.

The only 3-year-old in the lineup, Baffert and Jacobs’ Misremembered, will carry 118 pounds. The others will carry 124.

“He has trained very well and I’m very confident in him,” trainer Eoin Harty said.

Colonel John won the Santa Anita Derby and Travers Stakes last year. This will be his second start of 2009.

Although Einstein finished fifth in the Arlington Million last month, he turned in an excellent performance to win the $1 million Santa Anita Handicap in March, his first race on a synthetic surface. He’ll be making his sixth start of 2009 on his fifth track.

“We hope he’ll like this surface as much as he did Santa Anita,” trainer Helen Pitts-Blasi said.

Bob Baffert has two entries, 3-year-old Misremembered, winner of the Swaps Stakes at Hollywood Park, and 4-year-old Richard’s Kid.

The field, from the rail: Informed, Tyler Baze, 10-1; Song of Navarone, Joel Rosario, 20-1; Rail Trip, Jose Valdivia, Jr., 4-1; Richard’s Kid, Mike Smith, 15-1; Mast Track, David Flores, 15-1; Colonel John, Garrett Gomez, 5-2; Misremembered, Victor Espinoza, 12-1; Global Hunter, Corey Nakatani, 20-1; Tres Borrachos, Joseph Talamo, 20-1; Einstein, Julien Leparoux, 7-2; Parading, Rafael Bejarano, 10-1; and Awesome Gem, Alex Solis, 12-1.