Pacific Classic 2024 News Update (8-25-24)

By Jarrod Horak

The Grade 1 Pacific Classic will be run at Del Mar on Saturday, Aug. 31. Nominations closed on Aug. 22 and the race will be drawn on Aug. 27.  Keep checking the Digest website for updated Pacific Classic news.

A dozen horses were nominated to the Pacific Classic earlier this week. Seven-time Pacific Classic-winning trainer Bob Baffert has three possible runners (Adare Manor, Muth, Reincarnate).

Horses Nominated to 2024 Pacific Classic: 
Adare Manor
Clooney (won’t run)
Dr. Venkman
Express Train
Full Serrano
Il Miracolo
Katonah
Midnight Mammoth
Mixto
Muth
None Above the Law
Reincarnate 

Pacific Classic Hopefuls (as of 8-25-24):

Adare Manor: 10-for-18 Uncle Mo mare won the Grade 1 Clement L. Hirsch at Del Mar in 2023 and 2024. She had an uncomfortable trip and ran down Scylla in the Hirsch on Aug. 3, and that one returned to finish second in the Grade 1 Ballerina on Aug. 24. She has worked twice since the Hirsch including a 6f move in 1:12.40 (2/7) on Aug. 24.  

Dr. Venkman (1st San Diego): He has worked three times since the San Diego including a 5f work in 1:01.80 (61/76) on Aug. 24.  

Express Train (3rd San Diego): 7-year-old was 6th in the 2021 Pacific Classic and 4th in 2022. Has not won since the 2022 Santa Anita Handicap (G1). He missed all of 2023 and finished third in both starts this year. He most recently traveled 5f in 59.40 (4/76) on Aug. 24. 

Full Serrano: Won his first start in this country on Aug. 3 at Del Mar. He dueled from the inside post and edged clear to win by 2 1/4 lengths in that flat mile optional-claiming event. John Sadler won the Pacific Classic in four of the last six years (Accelerate, Higher Power, Tripoli, Flightline). He drilled a 6f bullet in 1:11.40 (1/7) on Aug. 24. 

Il Miracolo: He has competed in 16 stakes races with a pair of Grade 3 wins. He exits clear runner-up finish behind Subsanador in the Grade 3 Iselin at Monmouth Park on Aug. 17.

Katonah (2nd in San Diego): He worked three times since the San Diego and his last move was 5f in 1:00.80 (41/76) on Aug. 24.   

Midnight Mammoth (1st Cougar II): He breezed 4f in 47.40 (10/106) on Aug. 25. 

Mixto: He is 1-for-13 overall and hit the board in four stakes races including a runner-up finish in the Pleasanton Mile on July 7. He most recently went 5f from the gate in 1:00.40 (28/76) on Aug. 24.   

Muth: Also nominated to Shared Belief Stakes at Del Mar on Sept. 1. In 2024, he was first in the Grade 2 San Vicente at seven panels on Jan. 6, and first in the Grade 1 Arkansas Derby at 1 1/8 miles on March 30. He shipped to Pimlico and was the favorite in the Preakness, but he got sick shortly after arriving in Baltimore and was forced to scratch. He has fired four bullets since July 21, and his latest move was a 5f bullet in 58.40 (1/76) on Aug. 24. 

None Above the Law: The California -bred gelding has started 35 times with seven wins. In his last two state bred stakes starts, he was first in the Bertrando and third in the California Dreamin’. He worked 5f in 59.20 (3/50) on Aug. 23. 

Reincarnate (2nd in Cougar II): He drilled back-to-back Del Mar bullets on Aug. 10 and Aug. 17, and went 5f in 1:01.20 (50/76) on Aug. 24.