Mixto always showed trainer Doug O'Neill that he had ability, but the 4-year-old colt had never put it together enough to stand in the winner's circle more than once in 13 prior tries. O'Neill's never-ending optimism frequently paid off when Mixto won the $1 million Grade 1 FanDuel Racing Pacific Classic Stakes in a stunning upset Aug. 31 at Del Mar.

"This horse was always knocking on the door," said O'Neill.

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The 1 1/4-mile Pacific Classic lost its morning-line favorite a couple of days before the race when the mare Adare Manor tied up slightly after a gallop and was scratched. Dr. Venkman, the winner of the Grade 2 San Diego Handicap earlier in the meet, inherited the favorite's mantle. It was the longshots, however, that blew the race wide open from the moment the gates opened.

Mixto came into the race still eligible for a non-winners of two allowance race and was sent off as the second-to-longest shot in the eight-horse field at 22-1 on the tote board. He sat behind fellow longshot Full Serrano in second much of the race under jockey Kyle Frey, who completed the biggest day of his career after earlier on the card capturing the Grade 2 Del Mar Handicap with Gold Phoenix.

Full Serrano, making only his second U.S. start after winning a stakes in his native Argentina, shot to the early lead and valiantly attempted to steal the race for trainer John Sadler, who won four of the last six runnings of the Pacific Classic, including with the amazing Flightline in 2022.

Dr. Venkman raced easily in third, theoretically located in a perfect position to pick up the pieces when Full Serrano and Mixto packed it in, however, neither one did. They held their positions through both turns and into the stretch until Mixto drew alongside Full Serrano in deep stretch and won the race by a half-length in 2:02.10.

Reincarnate passed Dr. Venkman to take third.

Though Mixto had only won one race, he finished second in the Grade 2 San Antonio Stakes on Dec. 26 and third in the Grade 2 San Pasqual Stakes Jan. 27 at Santa Anita. He had most recently run second to Lammas in the July 7 $150,000 Pleasanton Mile.

The Pacific Classic was a part of the Breeders' Cup Challenge Series, and with his win, Mixto earned an expense-paid berth into the Longines Breeders' Cup Classic, which will be run at the same course and distance on Nov. 2 at Del Mar.

The win was the second Pacific Classic victory of O'Neill's career following Lava Man in 2006.

Gold Phoenix Wins Third Straight Del Mar Handicap, Earns Return Trip to BC Turf

Gold Phoenix captured the Grade 2 Del Mar Handicap presented by the Japan Racing Association on Aug. 31, winning the race for the third straight time and giving trainer Phil D'Amato his ninth Del Mar Handicap victory in the last 11 runnings of the race.

Favored Gold Phoenix saved his finest dramatic flourish for the final strides to get the win. Dicey Mo Chara had led almost throughout the entire 1 3/8 miles on the turf while jockey Kyle Frey had Gold Phoenix loping along in third. Frey snuck Gold Phoenix up the rail in the stretch to surge forward and nailed a game Dicey Mo Chara right at the wire to win by a neck in 2:17.05. Balnikhov, also trained by D'Amato, closed furiously for third, a head behind Dicey Mo Chara.

"He's such a cool horse," Frey said. "He just does what he does, and he loves to fight. He knows what it's all about."

Gold Phoenix earned his third trip to the Breeders' Cup with the win in the Del Mar Handicap, a Breeders' Cup Challenge Series "win and you're in" event. The victory secured the gelding an automatic, fees-paid berth to the $5 million Longines Breeders' Cup Turf, a race in which he finished 10th in 2022 and fourth in 2023.