The premier summer event in California, the $1 million Pacific Classic Stakes this Saturday at Del Mar, has attracted a deep and sizable field of runners aged three and up competing for an automatic, entry-fee-paid spot in the $7 million Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic scheduled for October 31 at Keeneland.
Contested at a distance of 10 furlongs (1 ¼ miles), the Pacific Classic stands as one of the premier contests in American Thoroughbred racing. Since its inaugural running in 1991, the race has produced numerous unforgettable milestones, such as Dare and Go’s shocking defeat of Cigar in 1996, the track-record-setting performance by Candy Ride in 2003, the stellar mare Beholder crushing her male counterparts in 2015, and the breathtakingly dominant performance by Flightline in 2022.
Although this year’s edition doesn’t have an standout superstar, it boasts a highly varied lineup. The field is headlined by Knightsbridge, fresh off a commanding victory in last month’s Monmouth Cup Stakes; Hit Show, the hero of the 2025 Dubai World Cup; the graded stakes-winning filly Om N Joy; Japanese contender Finger; and Full Serrano, who finished second in this very race two seasons back.
The 36th running of the Pacific Classic will be broadcast live across both FanDuel TV and FS1 as a featured broadcast on “America’s Day at the Races,” with post time set for 9:30 p.m. Eastern Time.
Carded as the 10th race of the day, the Pacific Classic starts the late Daily Double wager at Del Mar and serves as the second leg of the late Pick 3, both boasting a low 15% takeout rate. Additionally, players can find the race included in the late Pick 4, Pick 5, and the $2 Pick 6 sequence.
Continue reading to explore comprehensive profiles of every runner entered in the Pacific Classic along with key wagering analysis.
1. Om N Joy (20-1 morning line)
Jockey: Kent Desormeaux
Trainer: Aggie Ordonez
Owners: Baker Stables, Scanlan Racing, and Michael Golovko
Career Record: 18 starts – 6 wins – 1 second – 5 thirds
Career Earnings: $696,703
Highest Equibase Speed Figure: 108
Pedigree: Om – Margie’s Minute, by Hard Spun
Age: 4
Color: Chestnut
Run Style: Stalker / closer
Analysis: Historically, only one female competitor has captured the Pacific Classic—the legendary Hall of Fame mare Beholder, who cruised to an 8 ¼-length victory in 2015 (and followed up with a runner-up spot behind California Chrome in 2016). While Om N Joy does not match Beholder’s elite quality, she has built a highly respectable career and appears to be in career-best form this summer. This California-bred filly enters Saturday’s race following a close second-place finish, defeated by just a half-length by Eunomia on August 1 in the 1 1/8-mile Clement L. Hirsch Stakes Presented by Oak Tree Racing Association over this track, where she finished with a strong late surge but ran out of room. Before that effort, she captured the 1 1/16-mile Santa Margarita Stakes at Santa Anita Park with a powerful closing kick to win by 3 ¾ lengths. She has shown a strong liking for Southern California racetracks and has successfully stretched her speed to route distances in her last two starts after spending much of her early career running in sprints and one-mile events. Though she is certainly no Beholder, she faces a less intimidating Pacific Classic lineup this year. Partnered with her regular pilot, Hall of Fame jockey Kent Desormeaux, Om N Joy deserves strong consideration for underneath spots in vertical wagers at a massive price.
2. Forged Steel
Jockey: Edwin Gonzalez
Trainer: Saffie Joseph Jr.
Owners: C2 Racing Stable, Mathis Stable, and TCC Stables
Career Record: 19 starts – 5 wins – 3 seconds – 3 thirds
Career Earnings: $436,130
Highest Equibase Speed Figure: 107
Pedigree: Vekoma – Scorecard, by Tale of the Cat
Age: 4
Color: Gray or roan
Run Style: Pacesetter / press pace
Analysis: Hailing from the East Coast, Forged Steel made his Southern California debut a memorable one in late May, dictating the tempo from the start to dominate four rivals by 9 ½ lengths in the 1 ¼-mile Hollywood Gold Cup Stakes at Santa Anita Park. Before that breakthrough, this colt by Vekoma had raced on both turf and dirt without much success, though he began to turn a corner in early 2026 with back-to-back allowance scores and a third-place effort in the 1 ½-mile Temperence Hill Stakes at Oaklawn Park. While that Hollywood Gold Cup group was weaker than usual, and this year’s Pacific Classic lacks a dominant champion, this remains a much deeper field. Following his Gold Cup triumph, Forged Steel traveled to Saratoga for the July 4 Suburban Stakes Presented by Subourbon Life, where he stumbled at the break and could not secure his preferred forward spot near leader Phileas Fogg, eventually weakening to run fifth—12 lengths behind the winner but just two lengths shy of second-place finisher Hit Show. If he breaks cleanly this Saturday, Forged Steel is expected to contribute to an active early pace. However, even with his impressive Gold Cup performance and sharp subsequent training at Saratoga, he seems overvalued at his 5-1 morning line assessment.
3. Finger
Jockey: Keita Tosaki
Trainer: Hiroyasu Tanaka
Owner: M’s Racing
Career Record: 8 starts – 4 wins – 4 seconds – 0 thirds
Career Earnings: $1,303,486
Highest Equibase Speed Figure: n/a
Pedigree: Gun Runner – Estilo Talentoso, by Maclean’s Music
Age: 3
Color: Bay
Run Style: Front-runner / press pace
Analysis: Following the retirement announcements of Nysos and Journalism, California’s older division was left wide open, making this cross-ocean journey an opportunistic and logical move for Finger’s connections. Having never finished worse than second in eight lifetime outings, this Japanese contender arrives on the heels of back-to-back stakes scores at Tokyo’s Ohi Racecourse—taking the 1 1/8-mile Haneda Hai in late April followed by a victory in the 1 ¼-mile Tokyo Derby on June 10. He controlled the pace in both events and kicked away comfortably in the stretch when called upon by regular rider Keita Tosaki. It is worth noting that both races were run clockwise (the reverse of typical American track configurations) on Japan’s secondary circuit. Video analysis indicates that Finger relies on a steady, high-cruising speed rather than an explosive acceleration. However, he is battle-tested, having faced fields of 13 or more competitors in seven of his eight lifetime starts, and he has previously won moving counterclockwise, taking a race by 1 ½ lengths at Funabashi Racecourse in January. Finger represents the ultimate wildcard in this field and is highly likely to challenge for the early lead. Del Mar has been kind to Japanese runners recently, notably on the main track with Marche Lorraine in the 2021 Longines Breeders’ Cup Distaff and Forever Young in the 2025 Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic. We will see if this young colt can follow in their footsteps.
4. Subsanador (12-1)
Jockey: Mike Smith
Trainer: Richard Mandella
Owner: Wathnan Racing
Career Record: 20 starts – 9 wins – 2 seconds – 1 third
Career Earnings: $1,024,824
Highest Equibase Speed Figure: 119
Pedigree: Fortify – Save the Date, by Hurricane Cat
Age: 7
Color: Chestnut
Run Style: Stalker
Analysis: Returning in March from a lengthy 18-month break, Subsanador has struggled in his three subsequent outings to match the high-class stakes form he demonstrated during the middle of 2024. He recorded consecutive fourth-place finishes in stakes company at Santa Anita and Oaklawn, which was followed by an eased performance in the May 25 Hollywood Gold Cup, where he came home last of five in the race won by Forged Steel. To his credit, Subsanador dealt with compromised breaks in each of those performances, and his subsequent training sessions at Del Mar suggest he is moving forward. Campaigned by Wathnan Racing (who also send out Hit Show), this competitor holds the highest lifetime Equibase speed rating in this lineup (119) and once defeated multi-millionaire National Treasure during his standout 2024 campaign. Given his high-class history, this Argentine-bred colt offers intrigue as an outsider in this wide-open field, but a clean beginning will be vital for him to succeed under Hall of Fame pilot Mike Smith. Both Smith and trainer Richard Mandella are seeking their fifth individual wins in this historic race.
5. Malarchuk (10-1)
Jockey: Umberto Rispoli
Trainer: Michael McCarthy
Owners: ERJ Racing or Reddam Racing
Career Record: 10 starts – 3 wins – 5 seconds – 1 third
Career Earnings: $320,910
Highest Equibase Speed Figure: 109
Pedigree: Nyquist – Seize the Ring, by Tiznow
Age: 5
Color: Bay
Run Style: Stalker
Analysis: After spending the early part of his career running in allowance races under Chad Brown, this son of Nyquist joined Michael McCarthy’s stable earlier in the season. Since the transfer, he has earned runner-up honors in a pair of stakes events: the 1 1/8-mile Casa Ford Sunland Park Stakes and the 1 ¼-mile Hollywood Gold Cup Stakes at Santa Anita. In the Gold Cup, Malarchuk shadowed the front-running Forged Steel early on but flattened out on the final turn, barely clinging to the second spot while finishing a distant 9 ½ lengths behind the victor. That performance makes it tough to back him here against a field that features Forged Steel alongside far classier rivals, despite the overall lack of an elite standout in this year’s lineup. This horse is bred to get the ten-furlong distance, and his mid-pack stalking style might allow him to get the jump on the deep closers if the early leaders set a hot pace. Top local reinsman Umberto Rispoli gets the mount for the first time, and his handling of this horse will be worth watching. While he is a logical candidate to fill out exotic slots like exactas or trifectas, he is a longshot to actually cross the wire first.
6. Original Sin (15-1)
Jockey: Juan Hernandez
Trainer: Brendan Walsh
Owner: Calumet Farm
Career Record: 9 starts – 4 wins – 0 seconds – 2 thirds
Career Earnings: $390,235
Highest Equibase Speed Figure: 105
Pedigree: Curlin – Beauty and Light, by Unbridled’s Song
Age: 4
Color: Gray or roan
Run Style: Stalker / closer
Analysis: If you can forgive his most recent performance, this son of Curlin looms as an attractive longshot in this wide-open race. Original Sin put together three victories earlier in 2026 at distances of 1 1/16 miles and beyond, highlighted by a successful stakes debut on May 30 at Churchill Downs. In that spot, he showed great determination to secure a half-length win over Who Dey in the 1 1/8-mile Blame Stakes—a contest where Hit Show closed late to finish third. Following that victory, he traveled to Saratoga for the 1 ¼-mile Suburban Stakes Presented by Subourbon Life on July 4, where the betting public let him go at 21.66-1. He performed accordingly, finishing a disappointing ninth of 11, beaten 18 lengths by gate-to-wire winner Phileas Fogg and eight lengths behind runner-up Hit Show. He has trained consistently at Saratoga since that effort, and if he can find his best form, his pedigree and untapped potential make him a dangerous contender, particularly with Del Mar’s leading rider Juan Hernandez climbing aboard for the first time.
7. Hit Show (6-1)
Jockey: Florent Geroux
Trainer: Brad Cox
Owner: Wathnan Racing
Career Record: 27 starts – 12 wins – 3 seconds – 2 thirds
Career Earnings: $9,541,683
Highest Equibase Speed Figure: 110
Pedigree: Candy Ride – Actress, by Tapit
Age: 6
Color: Gray or roan
Run Style: Closer
Analysis: Even though he has bankrolled more than $9.5 million throughout his career, Hit Show has not quite established himself as a dominant champion. Instead, he is a highly dependable and genuine competitor who consistently puts in a strong performance but typically requires a quick pace and a trouble-free run to find the winner’s circle. This has been particularly evident over the last two seasons, during which he won five of 12 starts via closing rushes, with none of those victories exceeding a 1 ½-length margin. His most notable recent triumph occurred in the 1 ¼-mile 2025 Dubai World Cup Sponsored by Emirates Airline, where he prevailed by a half-length over Mixto, with world-class star Forever Young finishing two lengths back in third. In his three prep runs before this race, Hit Show took fifth in the Dubai World Cup, finished a troubled third in the 1 1/8-mile Blame Stakes won by Original Sin, and ran second—albeit 10 lengths behind Phileas Fogg—in the 1 ¼-mile Suburban Stakes Presented by Subourbon Life. Jockey Florent Geroux, who guided him in Dubai and has partnered with him for six other stakes victories, returns to the irons, which is a major asset. He will require a sharp early tempo to fuel his closing kick and an unencumbered path, but if his price holds near 6-1, this son of 2003 Pacific Classic champion Candy Ride is a strong contender to win in his Del Mar debut and remains an essential inclusion on all exotic tickets.
8. British Isles (12-1)
Jockey: Diego Herrera
Trainer: Richard Baltas
Owners: Slam Dunk Racing, Deborah Baltas, and Cynthia McClanahan
Career Record: 26 starts – 4 wins – 6 seconds – 4 thirds
Career Earnings: $568,201
Highest Equibase Speed Figure: 107
Pedigree: Justify – Purely Hot, by Pure Prize
Age: 5
Color: Chestnut
Run Style: Press pace / stalker
Analysis: Transitioning from grass to dirt in the latter part of 2025, this gelded son of Justify has recorded one win in his five subsequent starts on the main track. That single victory was a major one, occurring on March 7 in the 1 ¼-mile Santa Anita Handicap Presented by Yaamava’ Resort & Casino at San Manuel, where he drew off in impressive fashion to win by 4 ½ lengths. However, that running of the Big ’Cap attracted a historically weak field of just five entrants. Although the lineup for Saturday’s Pacific Classic is devoid of true superstars, it represents a step up in class compared to the rivals he beat in March. More concerning is his form following that victory: he finished a distant sixth, beaten 11 ¼ lengths, in the 1 3/16-mile Ben Ali Stakes at Keeneland, and followed that up with a 10-length fourth-place finish behind Forged Steel in the Hollywood Gold Cup at Santa Anita. To pull off a surprise on Saturday, he must rediscover the form from his Santa Anita Handicap victory. Diego Herrera, who rode him to that stakes triumph, returns to ride.
9. Navajo Warrior (8-1)
Jockey: Micah Husbands
Trainer: Saffie Joseph Jr.
Owners: BAG Racing Stables, Miller Racing, Dr. Derek Paul, Mathis Stable, Paul Braverman, and Timothy Pinch
Career Record: 18 starts – 10 wins – 2 seconds – 2 thirds
Career Earnings: $632,009
Highest Equibase Speed Figure: 112
Pedigree: Candy Ride – Crosswinds, by Storm Cat
Age: 5
Color: Dark bay or brown
Run Style: Pacesetter / press pace
Analysis: In line with a few other contenders in this year’s Pacific Classic, Navajo Warrior arrives in exceptional form against softer competition, making him a potential spoiler if he can sustain his current stride over the longer distance. This gelding, sired by 2003 Pacific Classic champion and track-record holder Candy Ride, raced primarily in allowance and starter-optional claiming events during his first 16 lifetime starts. Originally based in California, he switched to the barn of Saffie Joseph Jr. and relocated to the East Coast in the summer of 2025. He continued to compete productively in allowance company until May, when Joseph tested him in the 1 3/16-mile Pimlico Special Stakes at Laurel Park. Navajo Warrior responded with an all-the-way, 2 ¾-length gate-to-wire victory, then backed that up with another strong front-running score in the 1 1/8-mile Prairie Meadows Cornhusker Handicap, cruising home by 3 ½ lengths. Apprentice rider Micah Husbands, who was in the irons at Prairie Meadows, keeps the mount for Saturday’s race and is expected to put this horse into play early. While he faces multiple other rivals who also want the lead, Navajo Warrior’s current peak condition makes him too sharp to ignore, particularly as a key addition to trifecta and superfecta tickets.
10. Full Serrano (8-1)
Jockey: Joel Rosario
Trainer: John Sadler
Owner: Hronis Racing
Career Record: 22 starts – 7 wins – 6 seconds – 3 thirds
Career Earnings: $1,245,923
Highest Equibase Speed Figure: 117
Pedigree: Full Mast – Serra Do Mar, by Jump Start
Age: 7
Color: Dark bay or brown
Run Style: Press pace / stalker
Analysis: Making his first appearance of 2026 at his preferred oval, Full Serrano must replicate something close to his outstanding Del Mar form from 2024 to make an impact in Saturday’s race. Two seasons ago, he fell just a half-length short of capturing the Pacific Classic, where he dictated a reasonable pace up front and fought tenaciously down the lane before being caught in the final jumps by Mixto. He quickly rebounded in his next start, cutting back in distance under Joel Rosario to post a surprising victory in the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile right here at Del Mar. Following a 10-month break, this Argentine-bred gelding returned to Del Mar in September 2025 with an easy allowance victory at a mile, then followed up with a narrow runner-up effort in the 1 1/8-mile Goodwood Stakes at Santa Anita. However, he is winless in three subsequent starts: finishing fifth in the BC Dirt Mile at Del Mar, third in the 1 1/8-mile Pegasus World Cup Invitational Stakes in January, and fourth in the Oaklawn Mile Stakes on March 28. Alarmingly, his Equibase speed ratings have declined into the mid-90s since that Goodwood performance. More encouragingly, his recent morning training at Del Mar has been sharp, and he reunites with dual Pacific Classic winner Rosario. Trainer John Sadler, who has captured four editions of this race since 2018 in partnership with Hronis Racing, knows exactly how to prepare a horse for this spot.
11. Knightsbridge (5-2)
Jockey: Junior Alvarado
Trainer: Bill Mott
Owner: Godolphin
Career Record: 11 starts – 7 wins – 2 seconds – 1 third
Career Earnings: $923,155
Highest Equibase Speed Figure: 109
Pedigree: Nyquist – Tyburn Book, by Bernardini
Age: 5
Color: Dark bay or brown
Run Style: Press pace
Analysis: Knightsbridge arrives as the 5-2 program favorite on the strength of a visually spectacular, 10 ¼-length blowout in the 1 1/8-mile Monmouth Cup Stakes on July 18—his first ever start around two turns. Facing a compact four-horse field that day, he established an uncontested and steady tempo before drawing away effortlessly on the turn and through the lane. This well-bred son of Nyquist boasts one of the strongest resumes in this race, with three previous stakes scores at distances from seven furlongs to a mile prior to his Monmouth victory. Additionally, he was a strong second on June 6 behind the recently retired Nysos in the Hill ‘n’ Dale Metropolitan Handicap (the Met Mile) at Saratoga. Had Nysos remained active, he would likely be the favorite on Saturday; in his absence, Knightsbridge deservedly steps into the role. Nevertheless, he is making only his second lifetime start at a route distance, must navigate a much larger 11-horse field, and has to overcome the disadvantage of drawing the outermost post. Jockey Junior Alvarado must secure a clean break to allow his mount to utilize his natural speed and find a tracking position near the pacesetters. Despite his favoritism, this race presents a far stiffer challenge for Knightsbridge than his 5-2 odds indicate.
