Saturday’s $1 million Del Mar centerpiece, the 33rd running of the Grade 1 Pacific Classic, promises to be a battle of the ages. Three-year-olds Geaux Rocket Ride, Arabian Knight and Skinner take on eight elders. Five times we’ve seen sophomores pass the Pacific Classic class test, most recently Shared Belief in 2014.
Horseplayers utilizing the 1/ST BET and Xpressbet platforms can take advantage of $30,000 in Hit & Split promotions this Labor Day weekend at Del Mar and Saratoga. Each day’s late pick four, Saturday through Monday, includes an additional $5,000.
Let’s Meet the Contenders for the Pacific Classic:
#1-Geaux Rocket Ride (Mike Smith // Richard Mandella) 5-2
Naturally gifted speedster has shown patience and gears in recent starts, witnessed in his Haskell victory at Monmouth to put him in the 3-year-old championship talk, beating Kentucky Derby winner Mage. Should be near the pace Saturday from the rail draw. Son of 2003 Pacific Classic winner Candy Ride could give trainer Mandella a fifth win in this race and jockey Smith a record-setting fifth score as well.
#2-Katonah (Antonio Fresu // Doug O’Neill) 20-1
Pleasanton Mile winner seeks a third straight victory after scores at Santa Anita and NorCal. Claimed for $50,000 at Del Mar in the 2021 autumn, he’s a son of Klimt, the 2016 local Best Pal and Del Mar Futurity winner. Trainer O’Neill won this race in 2006 with the legendary Lava Man.
#3-Stilleto Boy (Kent Desormeaux // Ed Moger Jr.) 8-1
Five-year-old California stakes mainstay won the Santa Anita Derby in March and has bagged more than $1.8 million lifetime. Despite his successes on the circuit, he’s struggled at Del Mar with an 0-5 career record and last-place finish in the Pacific Classic a year ago. Set the pace in this year’s Pegasus World Cup and Oaklawn Handicap, so expect him near the front. Jockey Desormeaux’s win in this race came all the way back in 1992 with Missionary Ridge.
#4-Tripoli (Tiago Pereira // John Sadler) 20-1
The 2021 Pacific Classic winner looks for a rare double in this race, as only Tinners Way, Skimming and Richard’s King have won it twice. He would be the first to do so in non-successive years. He’s in the right hands as trainer Sadler has won this race 4 of the last 5 years with Flightline, Tripoli, Higher Power and Accelerate. The bad news: Tripoli is just 1-for-12 since winning the Pacific Classic, registering a Golden Gate allowance score in March.
#5-Defunded (Juan Hernandez // Bob Baffert) 4-1 * pictured above *
He’s the first of two Baffert entrants in this race, and either could give him a record-breaking seventh Pacific Classic victory (surpassing the late Bobby Frankel’s mark). Disappointing fourth as the 4-5 favorite in the local prep, the San Diego, following wins in the Californian and Hollywood Gold Cup. His 2023 campaign also includes a runner-up in the Pegasus World Cup at Gulfstream and third in the Santa Anita Handicap. Versatile running style, but most often contending for the early lead.
#6-Order and Law (Edwin Maldonado // Bob Hess Jr.) 30-1
Seven-year-old was claimed for $62,500 at Gulfstream in May 2022 and moved west. Subsequently lost 8 straight before righting the ship last time out in winning Del Mar’s Cougar II over 12 furlongs, a quarter-mile farther than Saturday’s assignment. Upset that one at 14-1 and will be a bigger price in the Pacific Classic.
#7-Slow Down Andy (Mario Gutierrez // Doug O’Neill) 8-1
This pure Paul Reddam home-bred is sired by the stable’s champion and Kentucky Derby winner Nyquist and out of the Square Eddie mare Edwina E. Second of two O’Neill entries in the Pacific Classic, hoping to give the barn a second win here (following Lava Man in 2006). He’s 4-for-4 in the exacta on the Del Mar dirt, including a second in the San Diego behind return rival Senor Buscador. Last year’s Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile third-place finisher has been lightly campaigned since, making just his third start of 2023.
#8-Senor Buscador (Geovanni Franco // Todd Fincher ) 10-1
Late-running son of 2003 Horse of the Year Mineshaft pulled a 13-1 upset in the San Diego last out, the local prep for the Pacific Classic. Senor Buscador has won half of his 12 lifetime starts and owns wins at Del Mar, Churchill, Remington and Sunland Park for southwest-based trainer Fincher, who seeks the first Grade 1 stakes victory of his regionally successful career.
#9-Arabian Knight (Flavien Prat // Bob Baffert) 3-1
Joins Defunded in the gate for a strong Baffert one-two punch. This lightly raced colt makes just his fourth lifetime start and exits a weakening third in Monmouth’s Haskell behind return rival Geaux Rocket Ride. That race came off a six-month layoff, so expectations are that his fitness level should be stronger Saturday, though the additional distance remains a question. A victory would give jockey Prat back-to-back wins in this race (Flightline a year ago) and Baffert a record-setting seventh, passing Bobby Frankel’s all-time mark.
#10-Piroli (Umberto Rispoli // Michael McCarthy) 20-1
The 28-1 Hollywood Gold Cup runner-up has made just that single stakes attempt in 14 lifetime starts. He returned for a troubled, but disappointing, fourth as the favorite in a local mile allowance in his Pacific Classic prep. Sire Battle of Midway was a force at Del Mar, winning the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile, Shared Belief and Native Diver here in a 4: 3-1-0 local career.
#11-Skinner (Hector Berrios // John Shirreffs) 10-1
Last year’s Del Mar Futurity third-place finisher has had a solid, but unspectacular sophomore season with placings in the Santa Anita Derby, San Felipe and Los Alamitos Derby. The late-running son of Curlin loses jockey Mike Smith to Pacific Classic favorite Geaux Rocket Ride, whom he finished just 1-1/4 lengths behind this spring in the San Felipe.
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