Pacific Classic Stakes

Pacific Classic Stakes
Grade I race
Location Del Mar Racetrack
Del Mar, California
Inaugurated 1991
Race type Thoroughbred - Flat racing
Race information
Distance 1 ΒΌ miles
Track Polytrack, Left-handed
Qualification Three-Year-Olds & Up
Weight Three-year-olds: 117 lbs.
Older horses: 124 lbs.
Purse $1,000,000 Guaranteed

The Pacific Classic Stakes is an American Thoroughbred horse race for runners aged 3-year-old or up run at the classic American distance of a mile and a quarter (10 furlongs, 2 km). It is run each year in August at Del Mar Racetrack in Del Mar, California, and the Grade 1 race has become one of the top prizes for older horses racing in the United States each year.

First run in 1991, the Pacific Classic offers a purse of $1-million and is the premier event of the season at one of the nation's premier race meetings conducted for seven weeks each year at the seaside racing plant just north of San Diego.

Notable among the runnings of the race was the 1996 renewal that saw champion Cigar attempt to best Citation's mark of 16 straight victories, but fall to a shocking upset ($81.20) by the unheralded Dare And Go and jockey Alex Solis. Another exciting running saw Hall of Fame Jockey Julie Krone become the first female rider to win a million-dollar race when she guided Sid and Jenny Craig's Candy Ride to victory in track record time of 1:59:11.

Del Mar switched its main racing surface from dirt to synthetic Polytrack in 2007 and the Pacific Classic winner that year was long-shot Student Council, who was handled by veteran Richard Migliore.

Starting in 2008, the Pacific Classic is a part of the Breeders' Cup Challenge, where the winner of the race will automatically earn a spot in the Breeders' Cup Classic at Oak Tree.

Records

2006 winner Lava Man

Time record: (At Polytrack)

Most wins:

Most wins by an owner:

Most wins by a jockey:

Most wins by a trainer:

Winners of the Pacific Classic Stakes

Year
 Winner
 Age
 Jockey
 Trainer
 Owner
 Time
2014 Shared Belief 3 Mike Smith Jerry Hollendorfer Jungle Racing, KMN Racing et al 2:00.28
2013 Game On Dude 6 Martin Garcia Bob Baffert Lanni Family Trust/Mercedes Stable LLC/Schiappa 2:00.69 (*Trakus time, 1:59.26)
2012 Dullahan 3 Joel Rosario Dale Romans Donegal Racing 1:59.54
2011 Acclamation 5 Pat Valenzuela Donald Warren Hilvers, Peter and Mary and Johnston, E. W. and Judy 2:00.61
2010 Richard's Kid 5 Mike E. Smith Bob Baffert Zabeel Racing International 2:03.27
2009 Richard's Kid 4 Mike E. Smith Bob Baffert Arnold Zetcher 2:02.39
2008 Go Between 5 Garrett K. Gomez William I. Mott Peter Vegso 2:01:18
2007 Student Council 5 Richard Migliore Vladimir Cerin Millennium Farms 2:07.29
2006 Lava Man 5 Corey Nakatani Doug O'Neill STD Stable/Jason Wood 2:01.62
2005 Borrego 4 Garrett K. Gomez C. Beau Greely Kelly, Ralls, Foster, et al. 2:00.71
2004 Pleasantly Perfect 6 Jerry D. Bailey Richard Mandella Diamond A Racing Corp 2:01.17
2003 Candy Ride (ARG) 4 Julie Krone Ron McAnally Sidney & Jenny Craig 1:59.11
2002 Came Home 3 Mike E. Smith J. Paco Gonzalez W.S. Farish III et al. 2:01.45
2001 Skimming 5 Garrett K. Gomez Robert J. Frankel Juddmonte Farms 1:59.96
2000 Skimming 4 Garrett K. Gomez Robert J. Frankel Juddmonte Farms 2:01.22
1999 General Challenge 3 David R. Flores Bob Baffert Golden Eagle Farm 2:00.40
1998 Free House 4 Chris McCarron J. Paco Gonzalez Toffan & McCaffery 2:00.20
1997 Gentlemen (ARG) 5 Gary L. Stevens Richard Mandella Randall Dee Hubbard 2:00.40
1996 Dare And Go 4 Alex Solis Richard Mandella La Presle Farm 1:59.80
1995 Tinners Way 5 Ed Delahoussaye Robert J. Frankel Juddmonte Farms 1:59.60
1994 Tinners Way 4 Ed Delahoussaye Robert J. Frankel Juddmonte Farms 1:59.40
1993 Bertrando 4 Gary L. Stevens Robert J. Frankel 505 Farms/Ed Nahem 1:59.55
1992 Missionary Ridge 5 Kent Desormeaux Robert J. Frankel Peter Wall 2:00.80
1991 Best Pal 3 Pat Valenzuela Gary F. Jones Golden Eagle Farm 1:59.80

External links