Adare Manor captures the Clement L. Hirsch two years in a row (Ernie Belmonte/Past The Wire)
Last weekend, a filly stole the show with Thorpedo Anna’s near win in the Travers Stakes. Will we see another exciting flashy finish in this weekend’s Pacific Classic?
The race is a “Win & You’re In” for the 41st running of the Breeders’ Cup Classic
By Maribeth Kalinich
The list of Pacific Classic Winners contains many notable champions. Flightline (2022), California Chrome (2016), Shared Belief (2014), Game On Dude (2013), Lava Man (2006), Candy Ride (ARG) (2003).
One of the most notable is Spendthrift Farm’s Beholder, who won the race in 2015 and still holds the distinction of the only filly to achieve the victory.
This weekend another name might be added to Queen B’s in the ladies’ column.
Last weekend we saw a brave filly almost win the Travers. Can another challenge on the opposite coast?
Michael Lund Petersen’s brilliant Adare Manor will face a field of eight males at Del Mar this Saturday.
The 5-year-old Uncle Mo mare already has 10 wins to her career 18 starts. She has three of those victories this year that doubled her career earnings.
The Bob Baffert trainee won the Grade 1 Clement L. Hirsch (1-1/16 M) at Del Mar August 3 chasing the pace then reeling in her foe drawing clear by 2-3/4 lengths. It was her second consecutive victory in the race.
In a less competitive field, the classy mare went gate to wire in the Grades 2, Santa Margarita (1-1/8 M) at Santa Anita May 26 easily besting by 4-1/4 lengths. It was also her second year winning the stakes.
In April, Adare Manor traveled to Oaklawn Park to score the coveted Grade 1, Apple Blossom (1-1/16 M). Showing her class, she again and. Under regular rider Juan Hernandez, she went gate to wire opening up and clearing by 5-1/2 lengths.
In her only defeat this season, Adare Manor finished second off the pace with a late rally missing the victory by 3/4 lengths to Sweet Azteca in the Grade 1, Beholder Mile (1 M), named for the one whose record she chases.
Coming off a disappointing performance in the Grade 1, Longines Breeders’ Cup Distaff (1-1/8 M) with seventh place that wrapped up her 4-year-old season that was nearly perfect with five consecutive victories, four in graded stakes.
Her only other defeat in 2023 was in her first of two allowance refreshers where she stalked and ran willingly getting second by an uncharacteristic 2-1/4 lengths in a seven-furlong sprint. She won her one-mile allowance after gate to wire by a head.
Debuting at Santa Anita Oct. 31, 2021, Adare Manor didn’t break her maiden until the following January kicking off her 3-yer-old season with a follow up victory in the Grade 3, Las Virgenes a month later.
After placing second by a neck in the Grade 2, Santa Anita Oaks (1-1/16 M) in April Adare Manor was off to the East Coast to run in the Grade 2, Black-Eyed Susan Stakes (1-1/8 M) at Pimlico Race Course.
Stalking the leaders, the filly went wide and missed by the victory by 1-1/4 lengths to the tenacious Interstatedaydream.
With a few months off, Adare Manor ran a tired race in the Grade 1, Cotillion at Parx (the race that Thorpedo Anna is pointed towards as a prep for the Distaff). After briefly pressing the eventual winner Society (an upset winner paying $17.60) the filly faded to sixth closing out her season.
Add to all of Adare Manors accomplishments the fact that her trainer holds the record for Pacific Classic wins with seven including last year’s victory with Arabian Knight.
Pacific classic trophy. (Benoit Photo)
Bobby Frankel wasn’t far behind Baffert with six wins; four consecutive wins in the Pacific Classic with 1992 Missionary Ridge (GB) with Kent Desormeaux up, 1993 Bertrando piloted by Gary Stevens and then two in a row with Tinners Way with Eddie Delahoussaye getting the leg up.
Frankel then won two more consecutive Classics with Skimming in 2002 and 2001 with Garret Gomez aboard, giving the latter his first two of four wins.
Baffert will have a double chance for an eighth Classic trophy as Adare Manor will also be challenged by her stablemate, Reincarnate.
Adare Manor will be ridden by Juan Hernandez. Kazushi Kimura has the mount on Reincarnate.
Del Mar’s summer premier race, the 2024 Pacific Classic will be a field of nine, including Dr. Venkman, Full Serrano, Il Miracolo, Katonah, Mixto, None Above the Law, and There Goes Harvard.
Adare Manor and Dr. Venkman will both start at 1 1/4 miles for the first time in the Pacific Classic.
The daughter dark bay of Giant Gizmo mare Brooklynsway will be the first filly or mare to start in the Pacific Classic since Beholder finished second to the California Chrome in 2016.
Under the conditions of the race, the Kentucky-bred mare will receive a five-pound sex allowance and carry 119 Saturday, while her eight male rivals all must pack 124.
Alexandres, LLC’s Il Miracolo finished a game second in his last start in the Grade 3, Philip H Iselin (1-1/16 M) at Monmouth Park August 17.
Taking command at the half-mile over Everso Mischievous, Il Miracolo battled on the stretch for the win but came up 1-1/2 lengths short to Antonio Sano trainee Subsanador (ARG).
The Gun Runner colt was coming of a victory in the Grade 3, Ghostzapper at Gulfstream Park and a third place at Churchill Downs in the Grade 2, Alysheba.
Il Miracolo’s last work of record was at Saratoga August 14th breezing fuour furlongs in 47.95.
6-year-old There Goes Harvard was a last-minute nomination by his new owners, Aron Wellman of Eclipse Thoroughbred and Gary Barber and received a supplemental entry for $15,000. The 2022 Hollywood Gold Cup winner has only run four times in the past two years.
San Diego Handicap winner Dr. Venkman could be the chief threat to Adare Manor. Owned by the partnership of Agnew, Bunch or Coehn, et al, the Mark Glatt trainee will be ridden by Antonio Fresu and is listed at 5/2 on the morning line.
Reincarnate by newly crowned Classic sire Good Magic hasn’t won for a year since his victory July 8, 2023, in the Los Alamitos Derby.
With four starts the season the 4-year-old finished third in the Grade 1, Santa Anita Handicap, fourth in the Grade 2, Oaklawn Handicap, seconds in both the Grade 2, Hollywood Gold Cup at Santa Anita and Grade 3, Courgar II at Del Mar July 25.
Reincarnate covered five furlongs handily in 1:01.20 August 24th.
With four wins in 12 career starts, R3 Racing LLC’s Katonah will be making only his second start of the season.
The 5-year-old Klimt gelding finished second in the Grade 2, San Diego Handicap July 27 for trainer Doug O’Neill. That was his season debut after winning the Pleasanton Mile Stakes July 9, 2023.
Katonah’s last recorded work was five furlongs handily in 1:00.80.
Hronis Racing’s seasoned runner Full Serrano (ARG) has a hearty 15 starts hitting the board 11 times with five wins, four seconds and two third place finishes.
However, he, too, has had only one start this season.
The 5-year-old son of Full Mast out of Argentinian mare Serra Do Mar won his first U.S. start in a Del Mar allowance optional claiming race on August 3rd. He also brings an additional four wins, four seconds and two third place finishes from his South American career.
On August 24th Full Serrano covered five furlongs handily in 1:11.40.
Hector Castrellon’s 6-year-old California-bred None Above the Law is the most seasoned in the field. Wish a whopping 35 starts the Karakontie (JPN) gelding has garnered seven victories with three seconds and four third place finishes.
The Jorge Periban trainee has made seven starts this season with noble results.
Running in the spring at Santa Anita, the grey started with a fifth-place finish in the Usual Heat Turf Classic in January, followed with a fifth as well in an AOC in February. Stepping up he captured a game fourth in the Grade 3, Californian but fell back a bit in the Cristal Waters at seventh.
None Above the Law had a bounce winning the Betrando Stakes at Los Alamitos with a 106 Equibase Speed Figure.
With several weeks off he came back to grab third in the California Dreamin’ August 3rd at Del Mar.
In his last timed work, None Above the Law handily covered five furlongs in 59.20.
The second Good Magic son in the race is Calumet Farm’s Mixto, also trained by Doug O’Neill.
The 5-year-old colt has 13 starts to his credit, five of which he made this year. With only one victory in breaking his maiden at Del Mar Nov. 17, 2023, the chestnut has placed second with two thirds this year.
Presenting zippy three-figure ESFs, Mixto was third in the Grade 2, Grade 2, San Pasqual, fifth in the Santa Anita Handicap, third in the Grade 3, Californian, fifth in the Hollywood Gold Cup. In his most recent start, he placed second July 7th in the Pleasanton Mile.
He worked five furlongs handily from the gate in 1:00.40 August 24th.
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.
The FanDuel Pacific Classic headlines an 11-race card with five graded stakes and more than $2 million in purses and will go as Race 10 on the program with a post time of approximately 6:05 p.m.
