The Grade 1, $1 million FanDuel Racing Pacific Classic Stakes, a Breeders’ Cup Challenge “Win and You’re In” race for the Longines’ Breeders’ Cup Classic, drew a large field of 11. Although there’s no powerhouse in the field like last year when Flightline won by 19 ¼ lengths on his way to winning the Breeders’ Cup Classic two months later, this year’s field offers a number of strong contenders in the division.
In terms of recent wins in top races, Geaux Rocket Ride gets top billing as he enters the race off a win in the Grade 1 TVG.com Haskell Stakes on July 22. Senor Buscador won the local prep for the Classic, the Grade 2 San Diego Handicap at Del Mar on July 29, beating Slow Down Andy by 1 1/4 lengths. Stilleto Boy won the similar Grade 1 Santa Anita Handicap Presented by Yaamava’ Resort & Casino in March while Defunded also won a similar race, the Grade 1 Hollywood Gold Cup in May. Tripoli won the 2021 Pacific Classic but has won just one of 12 since then. Arabian Knight has run just three times, with his biggest victory coming in the Grade 3 Southwest Stakes in January. He enters this race off a third-place finish behind Geaux Rocket Ride in the Haskell. Piroli ran the best race of his career in May when just a length behind Defunded in the Hollywood Gold Cup and hopes to run a similar race today. Then there’s an up-and-coming 4-year-old in Katonah, coming into the Pacific Classic off a win in the Pleasanton Mile Stakes. Skinner is best remembered for his big effort in the Grade 1 Runhappy Santa Anita Derby in April when beaten in an exciting three-horse photo finish. Order and Law won the Grade 3 Cougar II Stakes in July at Del Mar and at the longer distance of 1 ½ miles and will attempt to win his second graded stakes in a row.
Top Contenders to win:
In a wide-open edition of the Pacific Classic, as opposed to last year when Flightline was the logical choice and prohibitive betting favorite, there should be some very interesting horses at high odds. One of those is Senor Buscador, who posted the 13.50-1 upset when last seen in the San Diego Handicap, which serves as the local prep for the Pacific Classic. Set up by a hot early pace where Brickyard Ride ran the opening half-mile in :46.30, jockey Geovanni Franco helped Senor Buscador launch a rally from last of nine after a half-mile. Moving to fourth in early stretch, Senor Buscador made up three lengths to win going away, earning a career-best 115 Equibase Speed Figure in the process. Given the three winners of the Pacific Classic prior to Flightline earned 111, 113, and 117 speed figures, repeating his San Diego Handicap effort could be good enough for his second graded stakes in a row, bringing his record to seven for 13 as well.
Katonah is very likely to be overlooked by many bettors and could end up around the same high odds as Senor Buscador was when winning the San Diego Handicap. The reason is Katonah has never run in a graded stakes race. Nevertheless, there is a lot to like. After being claimed by Doug O’Neill for $40,000 in November 2021, Katonah was away from the races for more than 13 months, returning as a gelding in January of this year. He won two dirt races in a row on the comeback, then ran poorly on turf before returning to dirt and finishing second, third, and first. The win in that three race set, in May, earned him a career best 105 Equibase Speed Figure, which he bettered to 112 winning the Pleasanton Mile in July and in powerful fashion among a field of 10. Since returning to Del Mar, Katonah has been working steadily and appears to be in tip-top shape based on a strong six-furlong workout in 1:12 coming into this race. Projecting improvement from the 105 figure effort two back to 112 last out, Katonah appears to be in line with the 115 speed figure Senor Buscador earned in the San Diego, and that could be good enough for a first- or second-place effort in this year’s Pacific Classic for the trainer who won the 2006 Pacific Classic with Lava Man.
Geaux Rocket Ride is another horse on an improving pattern of races … and speed figures. After a strong maiden win in his debut in January, Hall of Fame trainer Richard Mandella was high enough on the colt to enter him in the San Felipe Stakes, in which he finished second to eventual Runhappy Santa Anita Derby winner Practical Move. After skipping the other Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve preps, Geaux Rocket Ride won the Affirmed Stakes in June with a 95 Equibase Speed Figure. Mandella saw something special in the colt so he shipped him to New Jersey for the Haskell Stakes on July 23 and Geaux Rocket Ride ran the best race of his career, beating Kentucky Derby winner Mage, and equaling the 104 figure earned in the San Felipe. Now very likely to continue to improve in his third race off a layoff, Geaux Rocket Ride can save ground in midpack from the ground-saving rail and certainly be a factor in this year’s Classic.
There are a number of horses who deserve honorable mention, but I’ll just discuss two of them: Slow Down Andy and Stilleto Boy. Slow Down Andy was outfinished by Senor Buscador in the San Diego as he was second on the turn whereas Senor Buscador was eighth, but he was courageous nevertheless and earned a career-best 113 speed figure. Stilleto Boy earned a 105 Equibase Speed Figure winning the similar Santa Anita Handicap in March before coming up a head and a nose short of winning the Oaklawn Handicap in April. He finished sixth with no excuse in July when shipped to Kentucky for the Stephen Foster Stakes, but if Stilleto Boy returns to the form shown in March and April, he could be a factor.
The reason there are so many ways to go in this race and a number of horses which will offer good return for the risk is due to the presence of a pair of starters from the Bob Baffert barn in Defunded and Arabian Knight, both very likely to be bet heavily. Defunded won the Hollywood Gold Cup in May with a 108 figure, while Arabian Knight won the Southwest Stakes in January with a 106 figure. Even if repeated, neither holds up to the 115 figure Senor Buscador earned in the San Diego or the 108 figure Katonah earned in July. Additionally, as with many Baffert trainees, both have a “need the lead” running style, and considering a fast pace is what helped Senor Buscador to win the San Diego Handicap, and that both Katonah and Geaux Rocket Ride have the ability to stalk the pacesetters in third to fifth in the early stages, it is going to be tough for either Defunded or Arabian Knight to hold off the closers in this year’s Classic.
The other Pacific Classic entrants (with best Equibase Speed Figure): Order and Law (100), Piroli (107), Tripoli (110), and Skinner (104).
Win Contenders in preference, handicapper’s probability order:
Senor Buscador
Katonah
Geaux Rocket Ride
Superfecta
9-1-7-8
9-1-7-8
$44
Superfecta
9-1-7-8
9-1-7-8
$44
