Del Mar Picks | Pacific Classic Stakes 2024

Aaron previews the 2024 Pacific Classic Stakes (G1) at Del Mar Thoroughbred Club & gives his top win pick from this “Win & You’re In” for the Breeders’ Cup Classic.

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The press release:

Topped by the crackerjack racemare Adare Manor, nine seasoned horses will go to the post Saturday at Del Mar in the 34th edition of the seaside track’s premier event – the $1-million, Grade I FanDuel Racing Pacific Classic.

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Adare Manor, a daughter of Uncle Mo owned by Michael Lund Petersen, comes into the mile and one-quarter headliner off a smart tally in the Grade I Clement L. Hirsch earlier in the Del Mar session and now sports a bankroll of $2,096,000. This will be her first attempt at tackling males, but the track’s morning line maker, Jeff Siegel, has no doubts about her ability to do just fine in that context and has hung her the 9/5 favorite for the test that will headline an 11-race card with five graded stakes and more than $2 million in purses.

The race is a “Win & You’re In” event tied directly to the 41st running of the Breeders’ Cup Classic, which this year for the first time will carry a purse of $7 million. Del Mar’s “Classic” winner will receive an automatic entry into the BC race with all pre-entry and entry fees waived. That race, also at a mile and one quarter, will be run at Del Mar on Saturday, November 2.

Del Mar’s leading rider, Juan Hernandez, has the call on Adare Manor, who is trained by Hall of Fame conditioner Bob Baffert. Should they win the race, it would be Hernandez’s first victory, but it would be Baffert’s record-extending eighth.

Under the conditions of the race, Adare Manor will receive a five-pound sex allowance and carry 119 Saturday, while her eight male rivals all must pack 124.

The FanDuel Pacific Classic will go as Race 10 on the program with a post time of approximately 6:05 p.m.

The race received a last-minute supplemental entry (at a cost of $15,000) when the 6-year-old horse There Goes Harvard was a last-minute nominations by his new owners, Aron Wellman of Eclipse Thoroughbred and Gary Barber. The chestnut by Will Take Charge did win the Hollywood Gold Cup at Santa Anita two years ago as his best recommendation, but has only run four times in the past two years.

Seen as the chief threat to the mare is the recent San Diego Handicap winner Dr. Venkman, who is owned by the partnership of Agnew, Bunch, Cohen, and Hailey. The Mark Glatt trainee will be ridden by Antonio Fresu and is listed at 5/2 on the morning line.

Here’s the full field for the 2024 Pacific Classic – the biggest race of the Del Mar meet – in post position order:  

1. Il Miracolo
2. There Goes Harvard
3. Dr. Venkman
4. Reincarnate
5. Katonah
6. Full Serrano
7. Adare Manor
8. None Above the Law
9. Mixto