Saturday's 11-race program at Del Mar is as good as it gets for the racing fan and horseplayer, with full fields top to bottom and concluding with five graded stakes, three of them part of the Breeders' Cup Win and You're In Challenge Series.
The big one, of course, is the 33rd running of the $1-million FanDuel Racing Pacific Classic, a Grade 1 event for 3-year-olds and up run at the American classic distance of a mile and a quarter. The winner gains automatic, fees-paid entry to the $6-million, G1 Breeders' Cup Classic, the headliner of the two-day world championships to be staged at Santa Anita in Arcadia, Calif., just 110 miles north of Del Mar.
In addition to the full fields and expansive wagering menu, horseplayers are looking at a mandatory payout in the seaside track's 20-cent Pick 6, which had a jackpot of $348,523 going into Friday afternoon's eight-race card. If the jackpot is not hit on Friday (and Del Mar is offering a $1-million guarantee to a single ticket winner Friday), Saturday's Pick 6 pool will be huge.
The Pacific Classic is an intriguing puzzle without an overwhelming favorite. Three of the 11 runners entered are 3-year-olds, including 5-2 morning-line favorite, Geaux Rocket Ride, who comes off a G1 victory in the Haskell at Monmouth Park in July for trainer Richard Mandella and jockey Mike Smith.
Three-year-olds have fared very well in the Pacific Classic, going back to the first running in 1991 when Best Pal beat older runners. In all, 15 sophomores have faced their elders in the Pacific Classic, with five wins and two seconds – most recently Shared Belief defeating fellow 3-year-old Taste of New York in 2014. The 3-year-olds carry 118 pounds, six pounds less than the 124 pounds for older horses, which at 1 1/4 miles can make a difference.
Eleven of the 32 Pacific Classic winners were betting favorites, and the same number scored front-end victories, with five winners forwardly placed, nine winning from mid-pack, and seven closing from far back.
Here's my assessment of this year's field, starting from the rail out.
Geaux Rocket Ride, 5-2 morning line odds. Candy Ride colt is lightly raced with three wins from four starts, but that sure wasn't a problem for Flightline, who was a perfect 4-for-4 going into the 2022 Pacific Classic and emerged with a spectacular 19 ¼-length win. Geaux Rocket Ride has early speed that Mike Smith can use to maintain good position, but the colt does not need the lead.
Katonah, 20-1. Claimed for $50,000 in November 2021, this gelding by Klimt missed all of 2022, but has come to life for Doug O'Neill this year, winning four of seven starts. This will be his class test as he has yet to contest a graded stakes.
Stilleto Boy, 8-1. Has managed to earn over $1.8 million despite winning only four of 23 starts. Has speed to get the early lead if no one else goes, but the only G1 victory for this 5-year-old by Shackleford came in the Santa Anita Handicap earlier this year from off the pace. Kent Desormeaux rides for Ed Moger Jr.
Tripoli, 20-1. John Sadler has won four of the last five runnings of the Pacific Classic, including the 2021 renewal with Tripoli, The Kitten's Joy 6-year-old has won just one of 12 starts since, and that was against softer company earlier this year at Golden Gate Fields.
Defunded, 4-1. Dialed In 5-year-old gelding is proven at the distance, and he's 2-for-6 at Del Mar, but he threw in a clunker for trainer Bob Baffert and jockey Juan Hernandez last out in the G2 San Diego Handicap July 29. He ran poorly in the 2022 San Diego, too, but you can never count out Bob Baffert, who has won the Pacific Classic six times.
Order and Law, 30-1. Took awhile to come around for trainer Bob Hess Jr. after he claimed this 7-year-old by Violence in May 2022. He is coming off his best race for Hess, a victory in the G3 Cougar II going 1 ½ miles, but he's looking at a much tougher group here.
Slow Down Andy, 8-1. The Nyquist colt's biggest win came last year on turf in the G1 Del Mar Derby, but he was a good third to Cody's Wish last year in the G1 Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile at Keeneland and most recently was a hard-trying second to longshot Senor Buscador in the San Diego Handicap for trainer Doug O'Neill and jockey Mario Gutierrez. Seems a serious threat, though he has yet to prove himself at the distance.
Senor Buscador, 10-1. If the main track is not favoring speed and the Pacific Classic fractions are fast, this son of Mineshaft will be rolling late for trainer Todd Fincher and jockey Geovanni Franco. He got the perfect set-up in the San Diego Handicap (half-mile fraction of :46.30 on a track that was kind to outside closers in the stretch).
Arabian Knight, 3-1. Uncle Mo colt was a pricey 2-year-old, costing Zedan Racing $2.3 million at the OBS April Sale in 2022. He comes in here with just three starts for trainer Bob Baffert, having gone to the sidelines in the winter after winning the G3 Southwest Stakes in the slop at Oaklawn. Baffert usually has his horses ready to run off layoffs, so his third-place finish behind Geaux Rocket Ride as the favorite in the Haskell was disappointing. Arabian Knight came into the year as one of Baffert's most promising 3-year-olds, so significant improvement is possible and the addition of Flavien Prat in the saddle is a major plus.
Piroli, 20-1. Gelded son of Battle of Midway has been managed conservatively by trainer Michael McCarthy, jumping into graded stakes just once in 14 starts. That was a solid runner-up effort to Defunded in the G1 Gold Cup at Santa Anita in May. Should improve off his comeback race in late July at Del Mar when fourth in allowance/optional claiming company.
Skinner, 10-1. Scratched due to a fever from the G1 Kentucky Derby after a near-miss in the G1 Santa Anita Derby, 3-year-old Curlin colt trained by John Shirreffs should benefit from his last start when second to Baffert-trained Reincarnate in the Los Alamitos Derby July 8. Has always appeared to be a horse whose best running will be at longer distances, though his female family leans toward sprinting. He's the only horse in the field with just one career victory. Skinner will be ridden for the first time by Hector Berrios.
Selections: Arabian Knight figures to ensure an honest pace, with Slow Down Andy, Geaux Rocket Ride, Stilleto Boy, and Defunded in close pursuit. I think the race will come down to a pair of 3-year-olds, with Skinner making a late run to give John Shirreffs his first Pacific Classic victory, and Geaux Rocket Ride hanging on for second ahead of Slow Down Andy in third.
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