Pacific Classic invaders are gathering for the $1 million guaranteed fixture at Del Mar next weekend. The race is carded at a mile and a quarter on dirt and it is a ‘Win and You’re In’ qualifier for the Breeders’ Cup Classic.
Hall of Fame runner Best Pal won the inaugural Pacific Classic in 1991 and other stars have both succeeded and tasted defeat in this race. Candy Ride, Lava Man, and Shared Belief have shown their superiority in the Pacific Classic and, last year, Beholder became the first mare to win the race.
At this point, Beholder is on the fence as to defending her Pacific Classic title. She was recently upset by Stellar Wind in the Clement Hirsch, but the Mandella student has worked solidly since that defeat. She drilled in :59 and change on August 10, and although Richard Mandella would not commit to the Pacific Classic he did deem Beholder ‘probable’.
Over the years, Pacific Classic invaders have been involved in mixed results. The great Cigar was one of the first Pacific Classic invaders in 1996 and was riding a 16-race win streak. He was coming off a clever win in Arlington Park but was shocked by Mandella’s trainee Dare and Go.
Two years ago, Shared Belief won the Pacific Classic, but Toast of New York nearly pulled off the upset. Toast of New York was a Group 2 winner in Dubai and he entered the Pacific Classic after running out of the money in a Grade 1 at Belmont Park.
He was 8-1 in the Pacific Classic and tried to go with Shared Belief at the top of the lane but had to settle for second.
In 2012 Dullahan, who had run third in that year’s Kentucky Derby, was coming off a poor effort in the Haskell Invitational at Monmouth Park. His trainer Dale Romans never lost faith in the runner and brought him to Del Mar as one of a number of Pacific Classic invaders. He looped the field to win by a half-length at 5-1. Dullahan earned a career best 111 Beyer Speed Figure, but he never won another race.
Mubtaahij is on the early list to race next weekend and he will be one of the main Pacific Classic invaders if he makes the trip from New York. Mubtaahij has already shown that he belongs with the best horses in the world. He won his debut last year in Dubai by 5 lengths and nearly repeated when beaten a head in his next start, a Group 3 event.
From there Mubtaahij took off. He won his next two races including a Group 2 which qualified him for the Kentucky Derby. Then trained by Michael de Kock, Mubtaahij was 12th of 18 at Churchill Downs on the first Saturday of May and could not make an impact on the performance by American Pharaoh.
Mubtaahij is 0 for 4 this year, but he is improving. He was second to likely Pacific Classic favorite California Chrome in the $10 million Dubai World Cup in March. Now trained by Kiaran McLaughlin, the runner returned last month in the Suburban at Belmont Park but was between horses and could not quicken in time. He has trained forwardly since the Suburban and if he comes West, he will be a handful.
Another one of the Pacific Classic invaders that must be respected is War Story. The son of Northern Afleet had run in the money in three Triple Crown preps last year and earned a spot in the Kentucky Derby. He broke from post 13 in the Kentucky Derby and only beat 2 to the wire but he comes to California at the top of his game.
The gelding made his first start of 2016 at Thistledown in Ohio the end of July and he left his foes gasping for air. The runner was sent along, made the lead, opened up 5 lengths at the top of the lane and went on to win by over 9 lengths. This racer has only won 3 times but he has done it at 3 different venues. He figures to be a part of the pace among the Pacific Classic invaders and one of his best assets is that he has speed but doesn’t need the lead to win.
War Story could very well be the bomb in the exotics and one could do worse than using him on the bottom half of a gimmick ticket.
Lastly, the best thing about Pacific Classic invaders is that the value will be there at post time.
