Pacific Classic 2024 Analysis & Wagers

By Jarrod Horak

The Grade 1, $1,000,000 Pacific Classic will be run at Del Mar on Saturday, August 31, 2024. The nine entrants will travel 1 1/4 miles on the main track and Adare Manor is the 9-5 morning line favorite. The Pacific Classic goes as the tenth race with a scheduled post time of 9:13 p.m. EDT.

Pacific Classic Analysis

Il Miracolo is a shipper with a pair of Grade 3 wins (Smarty Jones, Ghostzapper). He hit the board in multiple stakes races including a clear runner-up finish in the Iselin (G3) two weeks ago.

There Goes Harvard was not originally nominated to this race and was recently supplemented for $10k after a private purchase.  He was also entered in the Del Mar Handicap (G2) on the Pacific Classic undercard but will go in this spot. He upset the Grade 1 Gold Cup at Santa Anita in 2022 and finished out of the trifecta in five starts since.

Dr. Venkman is 3-for-5 with a pair of runner-up finishes, and he is 3-for-3 at Del Mar. He stretched out, stalked Arabian Knight, and won the Grade 2 San Diego by a neck on July 27. This is his longest and toughest career test, but he fits on numbers and projects an inner tactical trip.

Reincarnate is an okay stakes performer for Bob Baffert. He was third in the Santa Anita Handicap (1 1/4 miles), fourth in the Oaklawn Handicap (1 1/8 miles), and second in the Gold Cup (1 1/4 miles) and Cougar II (1 1/2 miles). He sports two bullet workouts for this and projects a stalking trip. This one is a bit one-paced and should be grinding away in the lane.

Katonah won the Pleasanton Mile in 2023 and returned from a long layoff to finish a clear second in the San Diego. He gets a class and distance test.

Full Serrano won a race at this distance on turf in Argentina late last year. He returned from a layoff and looked good winning his first start in this country in a local optional-claiming affair at one mile on Aug. 3. He dueled from the inside post and edged clear last time, and the pace ratings were strong. He drilled a strong six furlong bullet in 1:11.40 on Aug. 24.

Adare Manor is a 10-for-18 Uncle Mo mare and she won 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 Ballerina (G1) at Saratoga on Aug. 24. She has worked twice since the Hirsch including a six panel move in 1:12.40 on Aug. 24. This is not the strongest edition of the Pacific Classic and she should be competitive vs. this group of males.

None Above the Law is a California-bred longshot for Jorge Periban. He won the Bertrando on June 22 and landed the show in the California Dreamin’ last time. This is a much tougher spot and he seems up against it.

Mixto is 1-for-13 overall and he placed in 4 of his last 6 stakes starts. This race might be too far for him. He was 5th in the Big ‘Cap (G1) and 5th in the Hollywood Gold Cup (G2) in his two attempts at this trip.

Pacific Classic Wagers

#6 to win

Exacta box 6-7

Exacta 6-7/1-2

Trifecta 3-7/1-3-4-7/1-2-3-4-5-6-7