This year's $1 million TVG Pacific Classic at Del Mar has been moved back two weeks to the Labor Day weekend on Sept. 3. Like much of the stakes schedule, the date of the Classic, which will be run for the 32nd time this year, had to be changed to accommodate the late start to the meet, which kicks off a week later than usual on July 22.
Racing Secretary David Jerkens says having the entire meet go a week beyond Labor Day, to Sept. 11, caused them to look at the schedule differently.
“The Pacific Classic,” he said, “we could have left it where it was last year (August 21st in 2021), but now your prep races, like the San Diego, are a little quick. So we thought, Labor Day weekend would be the way to go.“
It's not the first time the date has been changed for Del Mar's premiere event. The Grade 1 Classic has been run as early as Aug. 9 and as late as Aug. 30. It was even run on a Sunday for many years. But never Labor Day weekend. Jerkens says that was the logical spot.
“If you run it the week we ran it last year, that third week of August, with your meet going until Sept. 11, it's kind of in the middle of the meet more than at the end, where it typically is,” he noted. “The following week is the Travers and we try to avoid that Saturday.”
Another benefit of running the TVG Pacific Classic — a 'Win and You're In' race for the Breeders' Cup Classic –in its current spot is that it aligns perfectly with the Breeders' Cup Classic almost exactly two months later. A trainer can run in the TVG Pacific Classic on Sept. 3 and have the desired four weeks to run in another prep race, like the Awesome Again at Santa Anita, and still have an additional four weeks to get ready for the big race.
This year's TVG Pacific Classic is expected to attract racing's hottest item, the undefeated Flightline, fresh off a dominating win in the G1 Met Mile at Belmont Park in June. The son of Tapit is stabled in John Sadler's barn here at Del Mar.
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