The Grade 1, $1 million FanDuel Racing Pacific Classic Stakes, a “Win and You're In” race for the G1 Breeders' Cup Classic, drew a large field of 11. Although there's no powerhouse in the field like last year when eventual Horse of the Year Flightline won by 19 lengths on his way to winning the Breeders' Cup Classic two months later, this year's field offers a number of strong contenders in the division.
In terms of recent wins in top races, Geaux Rocket Ride gets top billing as he enters the race off a win in the G1 Haskell Stakes in July. Senor Buscador won the local prep last month for the Classic, the G2 San Diego Handicap at Del Mar, in which Slow Down Andy finished second. Stilleto Boy won the similar G1 Santa Anita Handicap in March while Defunded also won a similar race, the G1 Hollywood Gold Cup in May. Tripoli won the 2021 Pacific Classic but has won just one of 12 since then. Arabian Knight has run just three times, with his biggest victory coming in the G3 Southwest Stakes in January. He enters this race off a third-place finish behind Geaux Rocket Ride in the Haskell. Piroli ran the best race of his career in May when just a length behind Defunded in the Gold Cup and hopes to run a similar race today. Then there's an up-and-coming 4-year-old in Katonah, coming into the Classic off a win in the Pleasanton Mile Stakes. Skinner is best remembered for his big effort in the G1 Santa Anita Derby in April when beaten in an exciting three horse photo finish. Order and Law won the G3 Cougar II Stakes in July at Del Mar and at the longer distance of a mile and one-half and hopes to win his second graded stakes in a row.
Top Contenders to win:
In a wide-open edition of the Pacific Classic, as opposed to last year when Flightline was the logical choice and prohibitive betting favorite, there are likely to be some very interesting horses at high odds. One of those is Senor Buscador, who posted the 13-1 upset when last seen (July 29) in the San Diego Handicap, which serves as the local prep for the Classic. Set up by a hot early pace where Brickyard Ride ran the opening half-mile in :46.30, jockey Geovanni Franco helped Senor Buscador launch a rally from last of nine after a half-mile had been run. Moving to fourth entering the stretch, Senor Buscador made up three lengths to win going away, earning a career best 115 Equibase Speed Figure in the process. Given the three winners of the Classic prior to Flightline earned 111, 113 and 117 figures, repeating his San Diego Handicap effort could be good enough for his second graded stakes in a row, bringing his record to seven for 13 as well.
Katonah is likely to be overlooked by many bettors and could end up around the same high odds as Senor Buscador was when winning the San Diego Handicap. The reason is Katonah has never run in a graded stakes. Nevertheless, there is a lot to like. After being claimed by Doug O'Neill for $50,000 in November of 2021, Katonah was away from the races for 14 months, returning as a gelding in January of this year. He won two dirt races in a row on the comeback, then ran poorly on turf before returning to dirt and finishing second, third and first in allowance/optional claiming company. The win in that three race set, in May, earned him a career best 105 figure, which he bettered to 112 winning the Pleasanton Mile in July and in powerful fashion among a field of 10.
Since returning to Del Mar, Katonah has been working steadily and appears to be in tip-top shape based on a strong six-furlong workout in 1:12 flat coming into this race. Projecting improvement from the 105 figure effort two back to 112 last out, Katonah appears to be in line with the 115 figure Senor Buscador earned in the San Diego, and that could be good enough for a first- or second-place effort in this year's Pacific Classic for the trainer who won the 2006 Pacific Classic with Lava Man.
Geaux Rocket Ride is another horse on an improving pattern of races, and speed figures. After a strong maiden win in his debut in January, Hall of Fame trainer Richard Mandella was high enough to enter the colt in the G2 San Felipe Stakes, where he finished second to eventual Santa Anita Derby winner Practical Move. After missing the other Kentucky Derby preps due to an elevated temperature, Geaux Rocket Ride won the Affirmed Stakes in June with a 95 figure. Mandella saw something special in the colt so he shipped him to New Jersey for the Haskell Stakes on July 23 where Geaux Rocket Ride ran the best race of his career, beating Kentucky Derby winner Mage, and tying the 104 figure earned in the San Felipe. Now very likely to continue to improve in his third race off a layoff, Geaux Rocket Ride can save ground in mid-pack from the rail and certainly be a factor in this year's Classic.
There are a number of horses which deserve honorable mention, but I'll just discuss two of them – Slow Down Andy and Stilleto Boy. Slow Down Andy was out-finished by Senor Buscador in the San Diego as he was second on the turn whereas Senor Buscador was eighth, but he was courageous nevertheless and earned a career best 113 figure. Stilleto Boy earned a 105 figure winning the similar Santa Anita Handicap in March before coming up a head and a nose short of winning the G2 Oaklawn Handicap in April. Although he finished sixth with no excuse in July when shipped to Kentucky for the G1 Stephen Foster Stakes, if Stilleto Boy returns to the form shown in March and April, he could be a factor.
The reason there are so many ways to go in this race and a number of horses that will offer good return for the risk is due to the presence of a pair of starters from the Bob Baffert barn in Defunded and Arabian Knight, both likely to be bet heavily. Defunded won the Hollywood Gold Cup in May with a 108 figure, while Arabian Knight won the Southwest Stakes in January with a 106 figure. Even if repeated, neither holds up to the 115 figure Senor Buscador earned in the San Diego or the 108 figure Katonah earned in July. Additionally, as with many Baffert trainees, both have a “Need the Lead” running style, and considering a fast pace is what helped Senor Buscador to win the San Diego Handicap, and that both Katonah and Geaux Rocket ride have the ability to stalk the pacesetters in third to fifth in the early stages, it is going to be tough for either Defunded or Arabian Knight to hold off the closers in this year's Classic.
The other Pacific Classic entrants, with their best Equibase figures, are Order and Law (100), Piroli (107), Tripoli (110) and Skinner (104).
Win Contenders in preference, handicapper's probability order:
Senor Buscador
Katonah
Geaux Rocket Ride
Fanduel Racing Pacific Classic Stakes – Grade 1, $1-Million
Del Mar – Saturday, Sept. 2; Race 10; Post Time 9 p.m. ET
1 1/4 miles
3-Years-Olds and Upward. Older Runners, 124 Pounds; 3-Year-Olds 118 Pounds
Ellis Starr is national racing analyst for Equibase
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