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Eclipse Award Winners 2025 Year in Review Santa Anita Opening Day Hong Kong Cup Results Hong Kong Jockey Challenge |
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 John Velazquez celebrates aboard Fierceness after winning the 2025 Pacific Classic |
The highlight race of the Del Mar summer meeting is the $1 million Pacific Classic (G1), featuring the best older horses of the west coast going 1 1/4 miles, and is a Breeders' Cup Challenge "Win and You're In" qualifier for the Classic at Del Mar on November 1. Conditions were typical for late August at the seaside oval, with the 13,432 fans in attendance enjoying sunny skies and temperatures in the mid 70's. After morning line favorite Nysos scratched, a field of 7 went to post with Preakness (G1) winner Journalism sent off as the 2-5 favorite off his win in the Haskell Invitational (G1). In to challenge him included 8-5 second choice Fierceness, 5th in the Whitney (G1) after finishing 2nd in the Metropolitan Handicap (G1) at Saratoga, and 22-1 third choice Indispensable off an allowance win.
 Fierceness draws away from Journalism in the Pacific Classic |
36-1 Midnight Mammoth and 72-1 Tarantino dueled for the lead first time by and around the clubhouse turn through fractions of 22.99 and 45.84 while stalked by 97-1 longest shot Lure Him In and Fierceness. Down the backstretch Lure Him In gained a short lead through 3/4 in 1:10.26. Turning for home, jockey John Velazquez sent Fierceness to lead and he quickly opened up a 2 1/2 length lead through 1 mile in 1:35.70. Kept to task by Velazquez, Fierceness drew off late to win by 3 1/4 lengths over late-running favorite Journalism in 2:01.00. It was a long 6 1/2 lengths back to 71-1 Ultimate Gamble third.
Pgm Horse Jockey Win Place Show 1 Fierceness Velazquez 5.20 2.20 2.10 6 Journalism Rispoli 2.10 2.10 3 Ultimate Gamble Kimura 5.20 Winning Time: 2:01.00 $1 Exacta 1-6 3.20 $2 Quinella 1-6 2.40 $1 Trifecta 1-6-3 20.10 $1 Superfecta 1-6-3-5 41.70Results Chart |
Left: Fierceness in the winner's circle. Sophie Green, assistant to winning trainer Todd Pletcher said, "(The start) had me a little bit worried there. He's had bad breaks before in the past when he was 2-years-old and I almost felt like that again, but Johnny knew what to do and kept him going. He had him in a great position. We thought (Midnight Mammoth) might go to the lead and we wanted to be as close to that as we could."
Right: Fierceness in the paddock before the race. Winning jockey John Velazquez said, "At the start, he attempted to duck into the temporary railing. I got him out of there, but he over reacted by pulling in the the other direction. I wanted to stay off his mouth, so I had to sit on him a little. But he got straightened out going into the first turn. I was able to save ground behind the leaders. On the back stretch, he was keen to go on, that's why I moved between horses going into the turn. I had to move as early as I did because he was so keen. Today I wanted to get him off the bridle a little and let him finish. I was very happy we got there."
Left: Second place finisher and beaten favorite Journalism heads out to the track before the race. Trainer Mike McCarthy said, "I thought he ran very well. He was farther back than I thought he would have been, but went a half-mile in 45 and four. (Breeders' Cup is) two months from now. Having a race over the track is perfect, see what happens in two months."
Right: Third place finisher Ultimate Gamble in the post parade. The Mark Glatt trainee improved his record to 3 wins, 1 second, and 2 thirds in 10 starts, earning $375,840 for owners Red Baron's Barn and Rancho Temescal.
 Formidible Man wins the Del Mar Mile (G2) |
Jockey mike Smitjh sent 5-1 fourth choice Cabo Spirit to the lead first time by through fractions of 23.77, 47.08, and 1:10.52 while pressed by 25-1 longest shot Zio Jo and stalked by Almendares. Into the stretch Cabo Spirit continued to lead through 7f in 1:22.46 but Formidable Man, 5th early under Umberto Rispoli, came out 3 wide and oufinished Almendares to win by 1 1/2 lengths in 1:34.20. It was a head back to Cabo Spirit third.
Left: Formidible Man in the winner's circle. Winning trainer Mike McCarthy said, "He seems to like it here -- six for six now. The fractions weren't quite as brisk as I thought they would be but it's great to see him get the turn of foot there to get the job done. We might just wait till the Breeders' Cup to see how he bounces out of this (as to where to go from here). Umberto is fantastic; same kind of ride like in the Eddie Reed -- just went ahead and bided his time. He wheeled outside and leveled off. Seemed like there was maybe a little juice in the grass to the turf today, but fantastic performance from horse and rider."
Right: Formidible Man heads back to the barn after the race. Winning jockey Umberto Rispoli said, "I was trying to sit behind (Almendares) because he lugs out. Antonio (Fresu) knew I was there, so I had to take a step back. I was able to save ground around the first turn and I had it figured out by the half mile pole. Once I took him out in the stretch, he's a different kind of horse and he really loves this course. He keeps rising and gets more mature each time. He's getting better in his mind. He used to be a little sweaty and anxious, but he's not right now. Michael (trainer McCarthy) and his people around the barn do a great job. It's what makes him a stakes winner."
Left: Second place finisher Almendares in the paddock before the race. Jockey Antonio Fresu said, "I think he ran really hard. I think it's the best he could have run. Formidable Man is a good horse."
Right: Third place finisher Cabo Spirit in the paddock before the race. The George Papaprodromou trainee improved his record to 6 wins, 4 seconds, and 9 thirds in 36 starts, earning $1,256,336 for owner Kretz Racing.
 Gold Phoenix (11) winning the Del Mar Handicap (G2) |
Jockey Juan Hernandez sent Final Boss to the lead first time by through easy fractions of 25.05, 50.89, 1:16.51, and 1:40.49 while pressed by 26-1 City Exile and stalked by 15-1 Endlessly. Into the lane for the last time, Final Boss continued to lead through 10f in 2:04.26 before tiring. Gold Phoenix, 4th early under Flavien Prat, came out 4 wide for room and outfinished 13-2 Stay Hot to win by a neck in 2:16.09. It was a head back to late-running Atitlan third.
Left: Gold Phoenix in the winner's circle after winning 4 straight Del Mar Handicaps. Winning trainer Phil D'Amato said, "I thought we had it and then I thought we didn't have it and then at the end he surged again. But that's what makes this horse so great. He's got a big heart and intestinal fortitude and Flavien got every inch out of him. He is the epitome of fine wine. He gets better with age. It's just fun (winning the Del Mar Handicap four years in a row). That's what we're in the business for, to have moments like this."
Right: Gold Phoenix in the paddock. Winning jockey Flavien Prat said, "Today he broke pretty sharply, so he was a little closer to the pace than he usually is. But I was able to have him relax and save ground. When I asked him to run, he gave me his usual strong finish in the stretch. He was between horses nearing the wire and I think that helped him keep going strong to the wire. I was pretty sure we won the race."
Left: Second place finisher Stay Hot in the paddock before the race. Jockey Mike Smith said, "He ran too good to lose. I was proud of him."
Right: Third place finisher Atitlan in the paddock before the race. The John Shirreffs trainee improved his record to 4 wins, 0 seconds, and 4 thirds in 12 starts, earning $462,000 for owner John O'Connor.
 Motorious wins the Green Flash Handicap (G3) via DQ |
Jockey Edwin Maldonado sent 25-1 Book Smart to the lead through fractions of 21.41 and 44.06 while pressed by 31-1 Virat and stalked by Sorrento Sky and 17-1 Wound Up. In the stretch Book Smart continued to lead buyt 18-1 Reef Runner 8th early, rallied on the inside to outfinish late-running favorite Motorious by a nose in 55.90. It was a length back to 47-1 longest shot Beyond Brilliant third. After a stewards' inquiry into an incident early in the race where Reef Runner forced Queen Maxima into the path of Motorious, Reef Runner was disqualified from the win and placed second, giving Motorious the three-peat win.
Left: Motorious in the winner's circle. Winning trainer Phil D'Amato said, "A pretty remarkable performance. You know, getting shut off there flat footed, and to make that kind of run is pretty impressive. Hats off to Antonio (Fresu) for staying in there. The horse is just a heart of gold. We are going to follow the same plan as last year and wait till the Breeders' Cup and try and do it again."
Right: Motorious in the post parade. Winning jockey Antonio Fresu said, "If that had not happened at the start, he would have won by two (lengths). It's a five-furlong race, and I lost so many lengths. I checked him pretty hard. When I pulled him out, the way he finished from the quarter pole to the wire, it was impressive. He just put it in another gear. Usually when this happens in a race at this distance, they never come back like that. I was sure that I might not have won it at the wire."
Left: Second place finisher (disqualified from first) Reef Runner crosses the finish line first. Trainer David Fawkes said, "You don't just lose. It was a Win and You're In race. It's why I came here. I think it was a bad call."
Right: Third place finisher Beyond Brilliant in the paddock before the race. Trainer John Shirreffs said, "I thought he ran so well."
 Om N Joy wins the Torrey Pines Stakes (G3) |
Jockey Antonio Fresu sent 26-1 So There She Was to the lead first time by through fractions of 22.97, 47.13, and 1:11.66 while pressed by Tenma and stalked by 53-1 A Thousand Miles. Into the stretch So There She Was opened a 1 1/2 length lead through 7f in 1:24.30. Om N Joy, 6th early under Kent Desormeaux, came out 4 wide and rallied to win by 1/2 a length in 1:36.99. It was a long 1 3/4 lengths back to favorite Tenma third.
Left: Om N Joy in the winner's circle. Winning trainer Aggie Ordonez said, "I should know better than to worry about a thing with Kent (Desormeaux) aboard. She looked comfortable and started inching up on them and I knew she hadn't laid it down yet. When she drops that head and reaches, she just motors. It's really a beautiful thing to see. Some girls like diamonds, some girl like jewels. I like that kind of stride on a big red mare."
Right: Om N Joy returns after the race. Winning jockey Kent Desormeaux said, "She exploded. She gave me so much confidence. She went to the post like a 9-year-old mare. And she had no problem taking the dirt in her face. Last time she was totally on the bit and I couldn't keep her off the lead. Today, her demeanor was so much different and I give all the credit to the trainer. I thought the pace today was honest. I just was able to tuck in behind horses and cut the corners. In the stretch, I knew I was going to catch the leader."
Left: Second place finisher So There She Was in the paddock before the race. The Doug O'Neill trainee improved her record to 1 win, 3 seconds, and 1 third in 6 starts, earning $162,620 for owners Great Friends Stables and Mark Davis.
Right: Third place finisher and beaten favorite Tenma in the paddock. Jockey Juan Hernandez said, "She kind of bobbled a little bit out of the gate and was a little bit rank. She ran a good third. I just think she needed the race."
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