Pacific Classic 2023: Odds, free PPs, stakes schedule, more
Richard Mandella, a four-time winner of Del Mar’s most prestigious event, saddles a 3-year-old favorite Saturday.
Geaux Rocket Ride is the 5-2 morning-line favorite for the Grade 1, $1 million Pacific Classic. Post time is 9:13 p.m. EDT, with FanDuel TV showing the 1 1/4-mile race that pits sophomores against older runners.
The Pacific Classic awards its victor a “win and you’re in” berth into the Breeders’ Cup Classic. Flightline, the 2022 horse of the year, swept both events last season.
Mandella trained one of the Pacific Classic’s more notable recent winners in Hall of Fame mare Beholder (2015). The veteran conditioner also won this race with Pleasantly Perfect (2004), Gentlemen (1997) and Dare and Go (1996).
Geaux Rocket Ride aims to give Mandella a fifth Pacific Classic triumph Saturday in only his fifth career start. He won the Haskell Stakes (G1) on July 22 at Monmouth Park by 1 3/4 lengths over Kentucky Derby victor Mage.
Rather than competing against Mage and other 3-year-olds last week in the Travers Stakes (G1), Geaux Rocket Ride instead faces older foes for the first time. Jockey Mike Smith rides the Candy Ride colt for Mandella and owner Pin Oak Stud.
Arabian Knight (3-1) joins Geaux Rocket Ride and Skinner (10-1) as 3-year-olds who will carry 118 pounds Saturday. The eight older runners in the field of 11 will tote 124.
Trained by Bob Baffert, Arabian Knight returned from a layoff of nearly six months to make his third career start in the Haskell. He finished third as the even-money favorite, 3 3/4 lengths back of Geaux Rocket Ride.
Fellow Baffert runner Defunded (4-1) has a pair of Grade 1 wins, including in the Hollywood Gold Cup in May at Santa Anita. He prepped for this race with a fourth-place finish July 29 in the local San Diego Handicap (G2), which Senor Buscador (10-1) won.
Stilleto Boy (8-1) also earned a Grade 1 win earlier this season, his coming in March’s Santa Anita Handicap. The Ed Moger Jr. trainee was sixth July 1 at Ellis Park in the Stephen Foster Stakes (G1).
Here is a look at the field for the 2023 Pacific Classic (trainers and jockeys in parentheses) with morning-line odds:
1. Geaux Rocket Ride (Richard Mandella, Mike Smith), 5-2
2. Katonah (Doug O’Neill, Antonio Fresu), 20-1
3. Stilleto Boy (Ed Moger Jr., Kent Desormeaux), 8-1
4. Tripoli (John Sadler, Tiago Pereira), 20-1
5. Defunded (Bob Baffert, Juan Hernandez), 4-1
6. Order and Law (Robert Hess Jr., Edwin Maldonado), 30-1
7. Slow Down Andy (Doug O’Neill, Mario Gutierrez), 8-1
8. Senor Buscador (Todd Fincher, Geovanni Franco), 10-1
9. Arabian Knight (Bob Baffert, Flavien Prat), 3-1
10. Piroli (Michael McCarthy, Umberto Rispoli), 20-1
11. Skinner (John Shirreffs, Hector Berrios), 10-1
TimeformUS pace projections show Arabian Knight going to the lead under jockey Flavien Prat and setting a fast pace. Favorite Geaux Rocket Ride is projected to run near the front half of the field through the early stages.
Visit Horse Racing Nation’s free past performances page
Pacific Classic links
Laurie Ross and Ashley Tamulonis go head to head handicapping the Pacific Classic. Both of them have Geaux Rocket Ride in their exactas, but each picks a different older runner to pair with the favorite.
Hall of Fame trainer Richard Mandella joins the Ron Flatter Racing Pod to discuss Pacific Classic favorite Geaux Rocket Ride.
This week on HorseCenter, Brian Zipse and Matt Shifman jump on the road to the Breeders' Cup Classic with analysis and top picks for a pair of Grade 1 races from Del Mar and Saratoga, the Pacific Classic and the Jockey Club Gold Cup. Shifman gives Pacific Classic odds and analysis.
Other Saturday stakes
Here is a look at other graded stakes taking place Saturday on a busy racing day across the U.S. All post times are EDT.
1:48 p.m. – $500,000 Flower Bowl Stakes (G2), 4-and-up fillies and mares, 1 3/8 miles (turf), Saratoga, FS2
McKulick (4-5) leads a short field of four for trainer Chad Brown off a local victory Aug. 3 in the Glens Falls Stakes (G2). Jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. will be up on the Grade 1-winning, 4-year-old Frankel filly in this “win and you’re in” race toward the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf. Christophe Clement trains Amazing Grace (7-5), a Grade 2 winner in Germany who was third in the Glens Falls. Tamarama (6-1) makes her U.S. debut for trainer Jack Sisterson after finishing 15th in a handicap race at Royal Ascot on June 21.
2:52 p.m. – $250,000 Prioress Stakes (G2), 3-year-old fillies, six furlongs, Saratoga, FS2
Dazzling Blue (6-5), a Fair Grounds stakes winner, aims for a graded breakthrough after running second July 8 in the Victory Ride Stakes (G3) at Belmont Park. Trainer Brad Cox and jockey Joel Rosario team up with the Into Mischief filly. Brett Brinkman trains Alva Starr (2-1), who steps up in class after winning the Dashing Beauty Stakes on July 8 at Delaware Park. Jersey Pearl (3-1) crossed the line fifth April 5 in the Test Stakes (G1) for trainer Darrin Miller.
5:54 p.m. – $600,000 Music City Stakes (G3), 3-year-old fillies, 6 1/2 furlongs (turf), Kentucky Downs, FanDuel TV
L J’s Emma (7-2) heads to Franklin, Ky., on a three-race winning streak for trainer Eddie Kenneally, including a Galway Stakes score Aug. 12 at Saratoga. Jockey Corey Lanerie gets the call on the Into Mischief filly. Kelsey Danner trains Grade 3 winner Danse Macabre (4-1), who returns from a layoff dating to a Kentucky Derby week stakes win May 3 at Churchill Downs. Secret Money (5-1) was third July 21 at Saratoga in the Lake George Stakes (G3) for trainer Brendan Walsh.
6:18 p.m. – $1 million Jockey Club Gold Cup (G1), 3-and-up, 1 1/4 miles, Saratoga, FS2
Rattle N Roll (9-5) won three straight Grade 3 stakes before finishing second July 1 in the Stephen Foster Stakes (G1) at Ellis Park. Jockey Brian Hernandez Jr. rides the 2021 Breeders’ Futurity (G1) winner for trainer Kenny McPeek in this Breeders’ Cup Classic qualifier. Mike Stidham trains fellow Grade 1 winner Proxy (2-1), who followed an eighth-place finish in the Foster by winning the Monmouth Cup Stakes (G3) on July 22. Tyson (5-1) comes south of the U.S.-Canada border for trainer Josie Carroll after winning Woodbine’s Seagram Cup Stakes (G2) on July 29.
6:28 p.m. – $1 million Mint Millions Stakes (G3), 3-and-up, one mile (turf), Kentucky Downs, FanDuel TV
Annapolis (8-5), the 2022 Keeneland Turf Mile (G1) hero, came up 3/4 of a length short of another top-level score Aug. 12 when second in Saratoga’s Fourstardave Handicap (G1). Jockey Tyler Gaffalione leaves New York to ride the 4-year-old War Front colt for trainer Todd Pletcher. Roger Attfield trains Churchtown (4-1), who was fourth July 23 at Woodbine in the Connaught Cup Stakes (G2). Smokin’ T (9-2) tries to make the grade after winning the Lure Stakes on Aug. 5 at Saratoga.
7:37 p.m. – $300,000 Del Mar Mile Stakes (G2), 3-and-up, one mile (turf), Del Mar, FanDuel TV
Exaulted (3-1) has won four straight starts for trainer Peter Eurton, including at this distance over the lawn May 29 at Santa Anita in the Shoemaker Mile Stakes (G1). Jockey Juan Hernandez gets a leg up on the 6-year-old son of Twirling Candy. Bob Baffert trains Du Jour (4-1), a Grade 2 victor who won the local Wickerr Stakes at a mile July 23. Dual Grade 1 hero Count Again (4-1) returned from a 14-month layoff to finish fourth July 30 at Del Mar in the Eddie Read Stakes (G2) for trainer Phil D’Amato.
8:07 p.m. – $150,000 Torrey Pines Stakes (G3), 3-year-old fillies, one mile, Del Mar, FanDuel TV
Faiza (8-5), the 2022 Starlet Stakes (G1) winner, took her first career loss May 19 when finishing third at Pimlico in the Black-Eyed Susan Stakes (G2). Jockey Flavien Prat stays aboard the Girvin filly for Baffert. Doug O’Neill trains Santa Anita stakes winner Ceiling Crusher (3-1), who was third July 27 in the local Fleet Treat Stakes. Anywho (5-1) steps up to stakes flight off a runner-up effort in a Del Mar allowance race July 27 for trainer John Sadler.
8:39 p.m. – $150,000 Green Flash Handicap (G3), 3-and-up, five furlongs (turf), Del Mar, FanDuel TV
Motorious (4-1), a Grade 3 winner for D’Amato, was second on the Kentucky Derby card May 6 at Churchill in the Twin Spires Turf Sprint (G2). Jockey Umberto Rispoli has the mount on the 5-year-old Muhaarar gelding with a Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint berth on the line. Sadler trains Bran (5-1), whose 2023 bow comes nearly one year after he won the Kentucky Downs Turf Sprint Stakes (G2) on Sept. 10. Lane Way (5-1) also returns from a layoff for trainer Richard Mandella, his dating to a Clocker’s Corner Stakes score Jan. 29 at Santa Anita.
9:45 p.m. – $300,000 Del Mar Handicap (G2), 3-and-up, 1 3/8 miles (turf), Del Mar, FanDuel TV
Gold Phoenix (3-1) enters this Breeders’ Cup Turf qualifier off a 3/4-length win in the Eddie Read for D’Amato. Hernandez will pilot the 5-year-old Belardo gelding. Mandella trains Grade 3 winner Planetario (4-1), who comes back west after finishing fifth July 22 at Monmouth Park in the United Nations Stakes (G1). Offlee Naughty (5-1), a Grade 2 victor for trainer Michael McCarthy, was runner-up June 18 at Santa Anita in the San Juan Capistrano Stakes (G3).
