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This Saturday’s horse racing card at Del Mar Racetrack is a horse bettor’s dream with four major graded events on the board. The results in many of these races will have important implications for this year’s Breeders’ Cup in early November at this same track.
The biggest event on the betting board at Del Mar this Saturday is the Pacific Classic, as part of the Challenge Series for the Breeders’ Cup. This race is an automatic ‘win and you are in” qualifier for the BC Classic.
The Del Mar Handicap for Thoroughbreds three and older is a Grade 2 stakes race on turf with a total prize purse of $300,000. The winner of this race gains an automatic qualification to run in the Breeders’ Cup Turf.
Another graded event on Saturday’s card is the $300,000 Del Mar Mile on turf for Thoroughbreds three and older. A fourth graded event is for three-year old fillies. Also run on turf, the Grade 1 Del Mar Oaks also has a total prize purse set at $300,000.
2021 Pacific Classic Predictions
When: Saturday, August 21st 2021
Where: Del Mar Racetrack
As one of the biggest races of the summer season, the Grade 1 Pacific Classic is open to Thoroughbreds three and older. Run on the dirt at Del Mar, this race will be contested over a total distance of 1 ¼ miles. The prize purse up for grabs in this race is set at $750,000.
A field of nine has been set for Saturday’s featured event along with post positions and opening morning lines. The following is my ‘best bet’ pick for a winning trifecta play.
Top Choice
Realistically, there are four entries in this race with a chance to win. I decided to stretch the odds a bit with Dr. Post as my top choice to win. Trained by Todd Pletcher, this four-year old Kentucky-bred colt will break from the No. 3 post with Joel Rosario as his jockey.
Sired by Quality Road, he has been opened as a 4-1 third-favorite on the morning line. However, I was more than impressed with his recent victory on July 17 in the Grade 3 Monmouth Cup. He covered the 1 1/8 miles on dirt in 1:47.53. Earlier this year, he won the one mile Grade 3 Westchester Stakes at Belmont with a winning time of 1:35.14.
Second Choice
Trainer John Shirreff’s Express Train has been opened as a 3-1 favorite to win this race. I bumped him to my second choice breaking from the No. 5 post position with jockey Juan Hernandez on board.
This is another four-year old colt that looked sharp his last time out with a victory in the Grade 2 San Diego Handicap at Del Mar on July 17. He posted a winning time of 1:43.17 over 1 1/16 miles on the dirt. The son of Union Rags has now finished in the money in each of his last six graded events.
Horse Win/Place/Show Betting Guide
Third Choice
Rounding out my trifecta play for this year’s Pacific Classic is Royal Ship as a 7-2 second- favorite on the betting board. After placing third in the San Diego Handicap, he will start this race from the fourth post. Trained by Richard Mandella, veteran jockey Mike Smith will get the ride.
The son of Midshipman is a five-year old gelding that was bred in Brazil. He has finished in the money in his last three races this year starting with a victory in the Grade 2 Californian Stakes at Santa Anita on April 17.
