The G1 Pacific Classic takes center stage at the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club on Saturday, as 11 runners are scheduled to tackle the 10-furlong test that will reward the winner with a starting spot in the 2026 Breeders’ Cup Classic at Keeneland in October. Below you’ll find my fair win odds for each of the runners, as well as my thoughts on the contenders I find most appealing.

1 – Om N Joy | 3% / 32-1
2 – Forged Steel | 7% / 13-1
3 – Finger | 9% / 10-1
4 – Subsanador | 3% / 32-1
5 – Malarchuk | 3% / 32-1
6 – Original Sin | 5% / 19-1
7 – Hit Show | 17% / 5-1
8 – British Isles | 2% / 49-1
9 – Navajo Warrior | 17% / 5-1
10 – Full Serrano | 6% / 15-1
11 – Knightsbridge | 28% / 5-2

NAVAJO WARRIOR (9) has done little wrong since moving to the Saffie Joseph, Jr. barn, winning six races at six different tracks since last August, including a couple of graded stakes races most recently. A son of Candy Ride, Navajo Warrior has won both the Pimlico Special (pictured) and Cornhusker Handicap in front-running fashion, but given the pace scenario in Saturday’s Pacific Classic, that doesn’t seem like a likely scenario this time around. The good news? This five-year-old gelding has proven himself to be effective from off the pace, as well. He’s on an upward trajectory on the Beyer scale and he’s remarkably consistent as far as Thorograph is concerned (steady diet of 1.5s). The distance wouldn’t seem to be an issue, and, assuming there’s regression for Knightsbridge, a repeat of his recent performances may be enough to result in grade one glory.

KNIGHTSBRIDGE (11) is the most interesting horse in this year’s Pacific Classic in terms of the bigger picture. His two-turn debut in the Monmouth Cup last month was phenomenal, earning a 122 Beyer Speed Figure and a -6 on Thorograph, both numbers that would win this race by open-lengths. At a short price, though, that’s far from a given. Not only does the son of Nyquist need to prove that he’s capable of producing those numbers right back, but he needs to do it at a new track, against better company, AND at a distance he’s never tried. If you could guarantee that he’d go off at his morning line odds of 5-2? Curiosity would kill this cat and I’d bite. I just don’t see any scenario where this horse is anything greater than 8-5, in which case representing an underlay.

If you’re playing for a pace burn up, HIT SHOW (7) is the horse for you. Despite being a Dubai World Cup winner, the son of Candy Ride has never shown himself to be a true grade one type – but, aside from Knightsbridge, this field looks closer to a grade two than a grade one. The distance is of no concern for the Brad Cox trainee, and he’s shown on multiple occasions that he can produce winning efforts at different racetracks (his 12 victories have come at six different venues).

The wildcard in this year’s Pacific Classic is clearly FINGER (3), the three-year-old shipping in from Japan. Never out of the exacta in eight career starts, the son of Gun Runner most recently was a front-running winner of the Tokyo Derby in June. By all accounts the form of the Tokyo Derby has held up relatively well, but this is a tall task. Not only shipping to Southern California from Japan but taking on older horses in his graded stakes debut is no small feat. While his intrigue is obvious, I’m skeptical that the Japanese narrative is going to result in him going off at an underlaid price. With the success that Japanese runners have had internationally over the past five years, it would be no surprise to see this runner go off as one of the favorites in the wagering. He’s a fascinating watch, not a fascinating bet, in this year’s Pacific Classic.

MY PLAY: 9 – Navajo Warrior to WIN at odds of 5-1 or greater