Pacific Classic 2022: Field & Odds at Del Mar

The Pacific Classic is a "Win and You're In" race for the $6 million Breeders' Cup Classic

Del Mar's richest and most prestigious race, the Grade I $1,000,000 Pacific Classic, a Win And You're In for the Breeders' Cup Classic, takes place on Saturday, September 3, 2022.

Undefeated Flightline has been made the 1/5 favorite against five rivals in the 32nd running of the $1-million Pacific Classic.

The 4-year-old son of Tapit, an impressive winner of his four starts so far, including a pair of Grade I scores, drew Post #5 in the compact field at a special draw party Tuesday afternoon at The Brigantine restaurant, which sits on the high ground overlooking the racetrack.

Conditioner John Sadler has been training Flightline at Del Mar all summer and the big colt has appeared silky smooth in his weekly morning drills as he prepares for his first attempt at a mile and one quarter. Come Saturday, he'll be reunited with the only partner he's ever known, four-time Del Mar summer riding champ Flavien Prat, who'll jet in from his new riding headquarters in New York for the mount.

Flightline's 1/5 odds match the shortest morning line price in the race's history, the same one hung on the mighty Cigar as he tried for a record-setting 17th straight victory in the sixth Pacific Classic in 1996. The two-time Horse of the Year - who went off at 1-10 that afternoon -- was defeated in that race by 39-1 Dare And Go in one of racing's great upsets.

Those ready to give the 2022 favorite a go are Commonwealth Thoroughbreds or Winstar Farm and Zedan Racing Stables' Country Grammer (Post #2); C R K Stable's Express Train (Post #4); Jay Em Ess Stable's Extra Hope (Post #1); Fox Hill Farms and Siena Farm's Royal Ship (Post #3), and Steve Moger's Stilleto Boy (Post #6).

The Pacific Classic will be Race 10 on an 11-race program with a first post of 1 p.m.

Pacific Classic Draw Trainer Reactions

The post position draw for Saturday's G1 Pacific Classic at Del Mar was not racked with the same tension you might find at another 1 ¼ mile race run in Louisville on the first Saturday in May. In fact, the only thing you might cut with a knife at Tuesday's draw was the delicious shrimp appetizer served at the Brigantine Restaurant overlooking the track prior to the event. But that's not to say everyone was delighted with their post position.

`I'd have preferred a middle to outside post," trainer Bob Baffert says about his horse, Country Grammar, who drew post #2. "He runs better when he's on the outside. Frankie Dettori was inside the whole way and he got to the outside. That's why he won the Dubai World Cup. If he had been on the outside in Saudi (the Saudi Cup) I think he would have won.

"He's going to be following the speed," Baffert added about his perfect scenario for Saturday's race. "I'm laying just off and swinging out like Laurel River, that kind of trip. If I can get a Laurel River trip, I'll be happy."

Laurel River tucked in behind the front runners until he split horses at the top of the lane, hit the front and went on to win by 3 ¾ lengths in last weekend's G2 Pat O'Brien at Del Mar.

Flightline, the morning line Classic favorite at 1-5, drew post #5. Perfectly fine for trainer John Sadler.

"Good post, I'm very pleased with that," Sadler says. "We thought most of the posts would have been good because of the relatively small field and he's tactical, he doesn't have to have the lead and he doesn't have to be way back either."

Sadler says he went in with no preconceptions.

"If you think about what you want you jinx the post," Sadler says. "So you just let it happen and that's a good post."

Sadler's one who doesn't see the post position coming into play this Saturday.

"Not too much because you have that good long run," Sadler believes. "You have about a quarter of a mile run into the first turn so you have time to work out a nice trip."

On the other hand, trainer John Shirreffs says he thinks the post position is always important, regardless of the size of the field or the distance of the race. His horse, Express Train, drew post #4.

"I think four is great, it's in the middle of the field," Shirreffs says. "It's a good post position."

Shirreffs says he's hoping for a lively pace.

"I'd like to see enough speed so he (Express Train) can get to the outside and get clear running room," Shirreffs says.

Ed Moger, Jr., the trainer of Stilleto Boy, feels the same way.

"I'd like to see a lot of speed," Moger says. "There will be a lot of speed - the problem is they don't back up very much. We'll probably get a stalking trip and hope to have something left for the stretch."

Stilleto Boy drew post #6 and Moger says their game plan could have used a better post.

"We want to go inside so we got the worst out of that," Moger says. "I think a lot of trainers would have loved to have the six hole and there's really no bad post for that race."

Richard Mandella is sending two horses after Flightline Saturday and he's happy with their posts. Royal Ship, the winner of the G2 San Diego at Del Mar in July, drew post #3 and Extra Hope landed post #1. He says he's happy with both draws.

"Mile and a quarter, it doesn't make much of a difference," Mandella says.

He says keep an eye on Extra Hope, who is the longest shot in the field at 30-1.

"He likes to take it to him," Mandella says. "He likes to move along near the front end so he'll be there."

Does that mean they plan to go with Flightline should the heavy favorite go to the front in the early stages of the race?

"No, I wouldn't give that direction," he says. "We'll just leave it to Tyler Baze, he knows him pretty well."

And where would Mandella like to see Royal Ship?

"I'd like to see him flying through the wire at the finish in front."

The Pacific Classic goes off as the 10th race on the 11-race card Saturday. First post is at 1 p.m. Post time for the Classic is approximately 5:50 p.m.

Here's the field from the rail with jockeys: Extra Hope (Tyler Baze); Country Grammer (John Velazquez); Royal Ship (Mike Smith); Express Train (Victor Espinoza); Flightline (Flavien Prat), and Stilleto Boy (Juan Hernandez).

Flavien Prat to Ride Flightline in Pacific Classic

AUGUST 28 - Trainer John Sadler has confirmed that jockey Flavien Prat will return to Del Mar next weekend to ride Flightline in the $1 million Pacific Classic. Prat has been the regular rider for the undefeated Tapit colt's first four career starts, but has been based on the east coast this year and has yet to make the trek west to Del Mar this summer.

"That's been the plan all long," Sadler said of Prat retaining the mount on Flightline.

Prat was a leading rider in Southern California until April when he announced he was moving his tack to Keeneland and then to New York. He did come out and ride at Santa Anita on Memorial Day but otherwise he's stayed east of the Mississippi since making the move.

He first rode Flightline in the colt's debut, a six-furlong maiden race at Santa Anita in April of 2021. They won by 13 ¼ lengths. Prat hopped back on Flightline in an entry level allowance at Del Mar in September of 2021 and they won by 12 ¾ lengths. When Flightline moved up to Graded Stakes company, Prat went along and they crushed the field in the G1 Malibu at Santa Anita in December by 11 lengths. Flightline followed Prat back to New York in June and the two romped in the G1 Met Mile at Belmont Park, a race they won by "only" six lengths.

Flightline, who sold for $1 million as a yearling, is the prohibitive favorite for this year's Pacific Classic, which will be run September 3. The post position draw will be held this Tuesday around 4 p.m. at the nearby Brigantine restaurant.

FLIGHTLINE BREEZES IN FINAL PREP FOR PACIFIC CLASSIC

AUGUST 27 - The horse everyone will be watching and quite possibly betting next Saturday put in another eye-catching work Saturday morning at Del Mar, not so much for the speed at which he glided around the track, but at how effortless it appeared.

Flightline set fractions of :12.80, :24.60, :36.40, and stopped the clock at 59.60 for the five furlongs. Not bad for a work that trainer John Sadler termed "soft."

"Last work today, it was very nice," Sadler said afterward. "The idea today was not go very hard a week out. So what we try to do is just maintain his rhythm, keep him in the same place he's been in. We were thrilled. He did a minute effortlessly and he's essentially ready."

His time was the fifth best of 73 other five furlong works this morning which bodes the question, if today was `soft' what's going to happen when he's really asked to run?

"That's what's so exciting," Sadler says. "You look at the works and think `Oh, he's working fast,' but in reality he's well within himself."

Flightline's stablemate, Heywoods Beach, will not run in the Pacific Classic. Sadler nominated last month's G3 Cougar II winner for the Classic, but is opting instead to run him in the G2 Del Mar Handicap on the Classic undercard.

Country Grammer, who is being pointed to the Pacific Classic, also put in his final work Saturday morning, going five furlongs in 1:00.

"I like the way he went," trainer Bob Baffert said. "He went nice for him. He's not going to really light it up in the morning but he runs in the afternoon."

Baffert also said Taiba, a surprise nomination for the Pacific Classic, will probably not go in the race.

"This time of year you just nominate them everywhere to give you options," Baffert says. "I nominated him just in case. Things happen and you never say never but the complexion of the race would have to change."

Taiba, the Santa Anita Derby winner, is also nominated for the Shared Belief on the Classic undercard.

Among other Pacific Classic nominees who worked Saturday was Express Train from the John Shirreffs barn. The Santa Anita Handicap winner worked six furlongs in 1:12.80. Additionally, trainer Richard Mandella worked Extra Hope six furlongs in a bullet 1:12.00 and Ed Moger sent out Stilleto Boy on a five-furlong work in 1:00.00

The post position draw for the $1 million, G1 Pacific Classic will be held Tuesday around 4 P.M. The race is Saturday, September 3.

OffTrackBetting.com - US Legal Del Mar OTB is a great way to bet horse racing at Del Mar Thoroughbred Club. Available to customers across the United States, OTB features both Thoroughbred and Standardbred racing from major racing venues in the US as well as top international racing from Europe, Japan, Australia and Hong Kong.

FLIGHTLINE TOPS LIST OF NOMINEES FOR PACIFIC CLASSIC

AUGUST 26 - Nominations for this year's $1 million, G1 Pacific Classic were released Friday with some expected names and one intriguing surprise. A total of nine horses were nominated for the Classic, which will be run for the 32nd time on September 3.

Topping the list is Hronis Racing, et al's Flightline, the undefeated son of Tapit who has been very impressive in the mornings leading up to the race, not to mention in the afternoons when he does race.

"Couldn't be happier," trainer John Sadler says. "He'll have a little soft work (Saturday) and then he's ready to go."

In his last work at Del Mar on August 20, Flightline clicked off fractions of :12.20, :35.20, :47.40; and 1:11.40 before stopping the clock on the seven furlong work in 1:24.00. `Effortless' seemed to be the consensus of those watching the work as he glided by the grandstand.

What may surprise some is the fact that Flightline didn't appear to scare off many potential rivals from running in the Pacific Classic. Trainer Dick Mandella went so far as to nominate three of his horses to the race though he may run one of them, MyRacehorse and Spendthrift Farm's Tizamagician, on the grass in one of the Graded stakes on the Pacific Classic undercard.

"We're pointing him to the Del Mar Handicap," Mandella said, "though we may still decide to run him in the Pacific Classic."

Mandella's other nominees are Fox Hill Farms and Sienna Farm's Royal Ship, winner of the G2 San Diego at Del Mar last month and Jay Em Ess Stable's Extra Hope, who finished third in the G3 Cougar II on opening weekend at Del Mar.

If there is one trainer who isn't phased by a heavy favorite in the Pacific Classic it would be Richard Mandella. The Hall of Fame conditioner brought Dare And Go to the Classic in 1996 when Cigar shipped in riding a 16-race win streak and was odds-on to set the North American record for consecutive victories. Dare And Go won that day, shocking the racing world.

"Can't win if you ain't in," Mandella says.

Trainer Bob Baffert has made his intentions known all along that he was bringing Commonwealth Thoroughbreds, et al's Country Grammer to the Pacific Classic. The Dubai World Cup winner used the San Diego as a prep after a four-month layoff to recover from the trip to the Middle East (he raced twice there, winning the Dubai World Cup in his second effort), often a tough ordeal for horses shipping from the U.S. Country Grammer ran second in the San Diego.

Baffert has the utmost respect for Flightline, even paid him the highest of compliments, but that won't stop him from running against him in the Pacific Classic.

"You can't be afraid of one horse," Baffert says. "He's an exceptional horse, I've watched him train. I haven't seen a horse like that since American Pharoah and another good horse that I had, Arrogate. He's that type of caliber of horse."

What comes as a surprise to the list of nominees for the Pacific Classic is the inclusion of Zedan Racing Stable's Taiba from the Baffert barn. The 3-year old son of Gun Runner has been training at Del Mar since returning from his runner-up finish to Cyberknife in the G1 Haskell at Monmouth Park last month. He posted a six furlong bullet work on August 20.

C R K Stable's Express Train is another horse with impressive credentials nominated to the Pacific Classic. The son of Union Rags won three in a row to start the year, including the G1 Santa Anita Handicap, giving trainer John Shirreffs his first Big `Cap victory. He hasn't raced since his runner-up finish to Stilleto Boy in the G2 Californian at Santa Anita in April.

Steve Moger's Stilleto Boy is another one nominated for the Pacific Classic. He's been keeping company with all the big boys on the west coast and always gives a good account of himself.

In addition to Flightline, Sadler has nominated Hronis Racing's Heywoods Beach, winner of the G3 Cougar II at Del Mar.

The post position draw for the G1 Pacific Classic will be held Tuesday afternoon, August 30 at approximately 4 P.M.

2022 PACIFIC CLASSIC DAY SHAPING UP TO BE ACTION-PACKED AFTERNOON

The undercard for the $1 million G1 Pacific Classic is stacking up to be "must see" racing, with full fields possible and wide-open races. Four stakes races will highlight the undercard, three of them Graded.

The G2 Del Mar Handicap drew 22 nominations including last year's winner, Astronaut. The son of Quality Road has only run twice since his upset win in the Handicap last year and has not run at all this year.

The top two finishers in the G2 Eddie Read, Master Piece and Hong Kong Harry, are nominated for the Handicap, which is run at a mile and three-eighths on the Jimmy Durante Turf Course. They're joined by Tizamagician and Heywoods Beach, both of whom were also nominated for the Pacific Classic.

22 horses have been nominated for the G2 Del Mar Mile, which is also contested on the turf. Count Again, winner of the G1 Shoemaker Mile at Santa Anita on Memorial Day, heads the list. He's joined by last year's Pacific Classic winner, Tripoli, as well as the top 3-year-old at last year's summer meet, None Above the Law.

Irideo, upset winner of the $100,000 Wickerr Stakes on opening weekend at Del Mar, has been nominated to the Mile along with The Chosen Vron, if he does not run in this weekend's G2 Pat O'Brien. Hong Kong Harry and Astronaut also are nominated for the Mile

The G2 Del Mar Derby also will be contested on Pacific Classic Day. 16 3-year-old colts and geldings have been nominated for the mile and an eighth event on the grass. Balnikhov, winner of the $100,000 Oceanside Stakes on opening day at Del Mar, is joined by Cabo Spirit, another winner at Del Mar this summer. He took the G3 La Jolla earlier this month.

Mackinnon and Slow Down Andy are also nominated for the Derby. Both come from the Doug O'Neill barn and both are looking to rebound off their previous races. Mackinnon finished fourth in the Oceanside, while Slow Down Andy was runner-up to Big City Lights in the Real Good Deal Stakes at Del Mar.

Trainer Ron Ellis is also eyeing the Derby with War At Sea. The colt has won three straight including the $100,000 Cinema Stakes at Santa Anita in June.

Finally, the $125,000 Shared Belief attracted 11 nominations. There's the Real Good Deal Stakes winner, Big City Lights. Also nominated are Armagnac with the Bob Baffert barn and one-time Kentucky Derby hopeful, Newgrange, now with trainer Phil D'Amato. Slow Down Andy also has been nominated should he not run in the Del Mar Derby, as has Taiba, who was also nominated for the Pacific Classic. The Shared Belief is run at one mile on the dirt.

EARLY INSIGHT INTO NEXT MONTH'S G1 PACIFIC CLASSIC

AUGUST 14 - We are still two weeks away from the deadline for nominations to this year's G1 Pacific Classic at Del Mar but it's already shaping up to be a must-see event. Of course, trainer John Sadler has made no secrets about running his superstar horse Hronis Racing, et al's Flightline in the $1 million event on September 3.

Which then raises the question...will the undefeated son of Tapit scare off any potential contenders to the race? If trainer Richard Mandella is any indication, the answer is `no.' Mandella has indicated he may point three of his big guns to the Pacific Classic, a "Win & You're In" race for the Breeders' Cup Classic at Keeneland this year.

Fox Hill Farms and Sienna Farm's Royal Ship, winner of the G2 San Diego, the local prep for the Pacific Classic, is one of those three possibles. The Brazilian-bred gelding has been keeping some lofty company of late. Eleven of his last 12 races have been graded stakes, dating back to the 2020 G2 Del Mar Mile.

MyRacehorse and Spendthrift Farm's Tizamagician may also represent the Mandella barn in the Classic off of a runner-up finish to Heywoods Beach in the G3 Cougar II at Del Mar on July 24, a race Tizamagician won in 2021.

Rounding out the Mandella trio, Jay Em Ess Stable's Extra Hope also may get a shot in the Classic. The son of Shanghai Bobby was third behind his stablemate in the Cougar II and has not visited the winners circle since capturing the 2020 G3 Native Diver at Del Mar.

Trainer Bob Baffert has said he will point his Dubai World Cup winner, Commonwealth Thoroughbreds, et al's Country Grammer, to the Pacific Classic. The son of Tonalist finished second to Royal Ship in the San Diego July 30.

And trainer John Shirreffs has hinted about running his Santa Anita Handicap winner, C R K Stable's Express Train, in the Classic. The son of Union Rags last ran second to Stilleto Boy in the G2 Californian at Santa Anita in April.

More nominations for the Pacific Classic are expected to trickle in by next weekend. Nominations close for the big race on Thursday, August 25.

Pacific Classic Quick Facts

Beholder became the first and only female racehorse to win the race in 2015, when she rolled to a near-record 8 ¼ length win. Just four other fillies have started in the race.

Trainer Bob Baffert has won the race five times, most recently with Collected last year.

Jockey Mike Smith has won four editions of the race, tied with the late Garrett Gomez for the most of any rider.

The betting favorite has won the Pacific Classic just eight times, but seven of those times came since 2004.