The Lead:
Travers winner Sovereignty threw down the gauntlet last Saturday and now Del Mar's Breeders' Cup Classic division hopefuls get to strut their stuff in the $1 million Pacific Classic. This year's cast is one of the race's most interesting since its 1991 debut, including a cross-section of starpower at the top in a first-time matchup. The 1-1/4 miles Pacific Classic will be Race 10 on an 11-race program that co-features the Del Mar Mile, Torrey Pines, Green Flash and Del Mar Handicap.

​Field Depth:
Multiple Grade 1 winners FIERCENESS and JOURNALISM lead the way along with NYSOS, a Grade 2 winner and Grade 1-placed. The rest have a deep cavern in the ledger with MIDNIGHT MAMMOTH a Grade 3 winner among the other five.
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Pace:
As many as six of these could be considered 'pressers' to the pace as their preferred running style. It will be about jockey intent and how assertive one or two want to be given the 10-furlong journey. MIDNIGHT MAMMOTH or TARANTINO may be most likely to set the tempo, BUT FIERCENESS, NYSOS and LURE HIM IN (among others) could be vying and capable of making the top. The late threats appear to be JOURNALISM and INDISPENSABLE. Very tough race to handicap based on 'shape' and pace.

Our Eyes:
Here are my horse-by-horse notes.

#1-FIERCENESS: Last year's Breeders' Cup Classic runner-up over this class and distance makes an early trip west while flanking the coasts from Todd Pletcher stablemate Mindframe, who stays home to run in Sunday's Jockey Club Gold Cup at Saratoga. Pletcher's only Pacific Classic runner in more than a decade was 2021 third-place finisher Dr. Post. Looked like he was going to bury the competition in the Whitney last out and inexplicably stopped at the head of the lane. His best is great, but it's inconsistent. May provide some value after being favored in 7 of his last 9. Look for jockey John Velazquez to float some competitors into the clubhouse turn if he's able to establish an early run inside.

#2-MIDNIGHT MAMMOTH: Romping winner of Del Mar's 1-1/2 miles Cougar II last summer, but hasn't come close to that in 4 stakes tries this year. Did perk up with a 12-1 second in the Hollywood Gold Cup in late May and comes in freshened by trainer Craig Dollase. Needs to be 1-2 in the early going to do his best work. Tough task.

#3-ULTIMATE GAMBLE: Recent allowance winner via DQ stretches out a full quarter-mile while trying a stakes for the first time in his 10th start. Mark Glatt asks a lot of this 5-year-old by 2003 Pacific Classic runner-up and beaten favorite Medaglia d'Oro, who already has sired 2019 Pacific Classic victor Higher Power. Feels like a no lead, no pass candidate.

#4-NYSOS (pictured): Injuries derailed his 2024 season after a flashy start, but he's returned after 15 months on the sideline and continues to impress. What's most telling about his fabulous second off the bench in the Churchill Downs Handicap was that he didn't regress from it; he thrived and easily won the Triple Bend and San Diego since. His workouts at 1st.tv are mind-blowing good and he's going to be a handful for another of these through the upper stretch. The question comes late as he's never run beyond 1-1/16 miles. The short length of the Del Mar stretch will be his friend, but he may not need it. Bob Baffert has a record 7 wins in this race, most recently Arabian Lion in 2023. Flavien Prat eyes a record-tying fourth win in this race, looking to match Mike Smith and the late Garrett Gomez. Five San Diego winners all-time have added the Pacific Classic, the last of which was Maximum Security in 2020. The one to catch.

#5-INDISPENSABLE: Last year's Shared Belief Stakes runner-up over this track, this $825,000 yearling purchase has gone a disappointing 2-for-14 lifetime. Trainer John Sadlers won 4 Pacific Classic editions in a 5-year period from 2018-'22, most recently with the legendary Flightline. Improved effort last out in an allowance but is being asked to take a big leap. Paco Lopez rides for the first time.

#6-JOURNALISM: Six 3-year-olds have topped their elders to win the Pacific Classic all-time and the 2025 Preakness winner ranks among the strongest chances to try the feat. The recent Haskell winner takes the same path as Arabian Knight from 2023. Journalism seeks his fourth Grade 1 victory on the campaign. He finished second in both tries at the 10-furlong trip, both behind Sovereignty in the Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes. Training videos at 1st.tv don't give any reason to doubt he'll once again fire his shot and come with another determined, late effort. Umberto Rispoli rides for Michael McCarthy, who is 4: 0-0-0 in the Pacific Classic to date.

#7-LURE HIM IN: 8-year-old is the eldest member of this field and note that no runner over age 6 has captured the Pacific Classic. Veteran has won 3 of his last 5 starts for Florida-based Sam Wilensky, but settled for third in a Del Mar allowance when getting a prep over the track. His Gulfstream jockey Edwin Gonzalez travels for the mount. Major longshot.

#8-TARANTINO: Honest sort nibbles around the edges with consistency, but an 0-16 career stakes record all but eliminates him from consideration to upset all 3 elite runners he faces on Saturday. Trainer Peter Eurton saddled 13-1 runner-up Draft Pick in the 2019 Pacific Classic and brings this one in off a 57-1 third-place effort in the San Diego against Nysos.

Most Likely Exotics Contender:
JOURNALISM is proven over the track, rock-solid at the distance and gets a 6-pound weight break from traveling FIERCENESS and stretch-out candidate NYSOS.

Best Longshot Contender:
TARANTINO could spruce up some exotic tickets on the bottom of trifectas and superfectas, but it's tough to reason 2 of the big 3 won't complete at least the exacta.

Sending it in ($100 bankroll):
With large field sizes in Races 9 and 11, let that work for you in multi-race bets getting in and out of a Pacific Classic where all 3 major players will be strongly backed intra-race. Race 9 $40 daily doubles QUEEN MAXIMA and NO NAY HUDSON to JOURNALISM ($80); Race 10 $10 daily doubles JOURNALISM to MONDEGO and ENDLESSLY ($20).