Anne Marie Duff

THE US racing tonight centres on Arrogate’s rematch with Accelerate in the Grade 1 TVG Pacific Classic at Del Mar.

Bob Baffert’s brilliant colt was a huge disappointment in the San Diego Handicap last month where he never looked like winning and trailed in over 15 1/4 lengths behind Accelerate.

Arrogate’s connections maintain the horse has been very much his usual self with some fast workouts since. The Pacific Classic’s 10-furlong distance is one that the Breeders’ Cup Classic hero has never lost over in three tries. Arrogate breaks from the outside post but Baffert was happy with that draw.

Bob Baffert put the blame on overconfidence in the colt’s level of fitness in his first start since the March 25th Dubai World Cup and the grey was expected to have a glorified workout in the San Diego.

Accelerate is three-for-three at the Del Mar track with two of those wins being eight-plus-length wins.

Collected has three wins in as many outings this year including a 14-length victory in the June 24th Precisionist Stakes where he beat Accelerate and fellow Pacific Classic entrant, Donworth.

REST OF THE CARD

Itsinthepost, produced by Con Marnane, had consecutive wins in Grade 2 stakes at a mile and a half at Santa Anita and Keeneland and lines up in the Del Mar Handicap.

Ashleyluvssugar, the winner of the 2016 Del Mar Handicap, and Irish-bred Hunt, the winner of the Grade 2 Eddie Read Stakes are two other prominent runners in a highly competitive race.

Irish-bred Madame Dancealot heads the betting for the Grade 1 Del Mar Oaks. The daughter of Sir Prancealot could not have been much more impressive visually in the San Clemente.