Jay Hovdey

Sweet Azteca won a pace duel with the speedy Thermal to take the Rancho Bernardo Stakes at Del Mar for the third straight year. Juan Hernandez was aboard the 6-year-old daughter of Sharp Azteca for trainer Richard Baltas.

Belmont Oaks (G1T) winner Kensington Lane heads an international field of 3-year-old fillies taking dead aim on the $300,000 Del Mar Oaks (G1T) as part of the Aug. 22 Pacific Classic program.

The pressure is on Knightsbridge to repeat his spectacular form in the Monmouth Cup Stakes (G3) when he takes on 10 opponents, including Hit Show and Navajo Warrior, in the $1 million Pacific Classic Stakes (G1) Aug. 22 at Del Mar.

Richard Mandella was being complimented on extending the hospitality of a stall in his

Sorrento Sky comes from the back of the field to catch the leaders late and pull off a 1-length win over fellow Irish-bred No Nay Hudson in the Green Flash Handicap (G2T) at Del Mar.

Knightsbridge, under Junior Alvarado, proved more than capable of handling 1 1/4 miles in a grade 1 event with a 6 1/4-length victory Aug. 22 in the Pacific Classic Stakes (G1) at Del Mar.

If it ain't broke, don't change a thing was the order of the day for Proletariat and Kyle Frey, who repeated their wire-to-wire score in Del Mar's opening-day Oceanside Handicap (G2) in the $301,500 Aug. 23 Del Mar Derby.

What a difference a century makes. One hundred years ago, Fairmount Park in Collinsville, Ill., led the local news coverage and even made the

Test Score returned to Del Mar in style with a narrow victory in the Del Mar Handicap (G2T) under Juan Hernandez. The son of Lookin At Lucky edged Atitlan at the end of the 1 3/8 miles, with four-time defending champion Gold Phoenix a close fourth.

Rabeeba learned a few lessons on her way to a 2 1/4-length victory in the Aug. 30 Torrey Pines Stakes at Del Mar to remain undefeated in three starts.