The Pacific Classic Stakes is an American Thoroughbred horse race held annually in August or September at the Del Mar Racetrack in Del Mar, California. This Grade I one and one-quarter miles race on dirt is open to horses aged three years and older. The event currently carries a purse of $1,000,000.
History
The event was inaugurated on 10 August 1991 with a purse of US$1 million and immediately became the premier event of the racing season at Del Mar. The first running was won by the 1990 California Horse of the Year three year old Best Pal in a time of 1:594⁄5. Best Pal would run two more times, finishing third to Bertrando in 1993 and second to Tinners Way in 1994.
The event was classified as Grade I for the third running in 1993 and has held that class since.
Del Mar switched its main racing surface from dirt to synthetic Polytrack in 2007 and the Pacific Classic winner that year was long-shot Student Council, who was handled by veteran Richard Migliore.
Starting in 2008, the TVG Pacific Classic became a part of the Breeders' Cup Challenge, where the winner of the race would automatically earn a spot in the Breeders' Cup Classic. has become one of the top prizes for older horses racing in the United States each year.
In 2015 Beholder became the first filly or mare to win the event. She won by 8+1⁄4 lengths with a final time of 1:59.77, against an otherwise all-male field of nine other horses, including 2014 Breeders' Cup Classic winner Bayern. She won in the third-fastest winning time in the history of the race, and with the second-largest margin of victory at that time, behind the 2013 win of Game On Dude. In 2018 Accelerate would win by an even greater margin of 12+1⁄2 lengths.
In 2016 California Chrome became the first Kentucky Derby winner to win the event.
Records
Time record:
- 1:59.11 - Candy Ride (2003)
Largest Margin
- 19+1⁄4 lengths - Flightline (2022)
Most wins:
- 2 - Tinners Way (1994, 1995)
- 2 - Skimming (2000, 2001)
- 2 - Richard's Kid (2009, 2010)
Most wins by an owner:
- 4 - Juddmonte Farms (1994, 1995, 2000, 2001)
- 4 - Hronis Racing (2018, 2019, 2021, 2022)
Most wins by a jockey:
- 4 - Garrett K. Gomez (2000, 2001, 2005, 2008)
- 4 - Mike E. Smith (2002, 2009, 2010, 2014)
Most wins by a trainer:
- 7 - Bob Baffert (1999, 2009, 2010, 2013, 2017, 2020, 2023)
Winners
| Year | Winner | Age | Jockey | Trainer | Owner | Distance | Time | Purse | Grade | Ref
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Knightsbridge | 5 | Junior Alvarado | Bill Mott | Godolphin LLC | 1+1⁄4 miles | 2:02.28 | $1,001,000 | I | |
| 2025 | Fierceness | 4 | John R. Velazquez | Todd A. Pletcher | Repole Stable, Derrick Smith, Mrs. John Magnier & Michael Tabor | 1+1⁄4 miles | 2:01.00 | $1,001,000 | I | |
| 2024 | Mixto | 4 | Kyle Frey | Doug F. O'Neill | Calumet Farm | 1+1⁄4 miles | 2:02.10 | $1,001,500 | I | |
| 2023 | Arabian Knight | 3 | Flavien Prat | Bob Baffert | Zedan Racing | 1+1⁄4 miles | 2:03.19 | $1,002,500 | I | |
| 2022 | Flightline | 4 | Flavien Prat | John W. Sadler | Hronis Racing, Summer Wind Equine, West Point Thoroughbreds, & Siena Farm | 1+1⁄4 miles | 1:59.28 | $1,000,500 | I | |
| 2021 | Tripoli | 4 | Tiago Pereira | John W. Sadler | Hronis Racing | 1+1⁄4 miles | 2:02.37 | $1,002,000 | I | |
| 2020 | Maximum Security | 4 | Abel Cedillo | Bob Baffert | Gary L & Mary E West, Mrs J Magnier, M Tabor & D Smith | 1+1⁄4 miles | 2:01.24 | $500,500 | I | |
| 2019 | Higher Power | 4 | Flavien Prat | John W. Sadler | Hronis Racing | 1+1⁄4 miles | 2:02.43 | $1,001,755 | I | |
| 2018 | Accelerate | 5 | Joel Rosario | John W. Sadler | Hronis Racing | 1+1⁄4 miles | 2:01.83 | $1,000,690 | I | |
| 2017 | Collected | 4 | Martin Garcia | Bob Baffert | Speedway Stable | 1+1⁄4 miles | 2:00.70 | $1,000,690 | I | |
| 2016 | California Chrome | 5 | Victor Espinoza | Art Sherman | California Chrome | 1+1⁄4 miles | 2:00.13 | $1,001,380 | I | |
| 2015 | ƒ Beholder | 5 | Gary L. Stevens | Richard E. Mandella | Spendthrift Farm | 1+1⁄4 miles | 1:59.77 | $1,001,250 | I | |
| 2014 | Shared Belief | 3 | Mike E. Smith | Jerry Hollendorfer | Jungle Racing, KMN Racing, Hollendorfer, Litt, Solis II & Todaro | 1+1⁄4 miles | 2:00.28 | $1,001,250 | I | |
| 2013 | Game On Dude | 6 | Martin Garcia | Bob Baffert | Lanni Family Trust, Mercedes Stable, Diamond Pride & B. Schiappa | 1+1⁄4 miles | †2:00.69 | $1,001,750 | I | |
| 2012 | Dullahan | 3 | Joel Rosario | Dale L. Romans | Donegal Racing | 1+1⁄4 miles | 1:59.54 | $1,000,000 | I | |
| 2011 | Acclamation | 5 | Pat Valenzuela | Donald Warren | Peter & Mary Hilvers and E. W. & Judy Johnston | 1+1⁄4 miles | 2:00.61 | $1,000,000 | I | |
| 2010 | Richard's Kid | 5 | Mike E. Smith | Bob Baffert | Zabeel Racing International | 1+1⁄4 miles | 2:03.27 | $1,000,000 | I | |
| 2009 | Richard's Kid | 4 | Mike E. Smith | Bob Baffert | Arnold Zetcher | 1+1⁄4 miles | 2:02.39 | $1,000,000 | I | |
| 2008 | Go Between | 5 | Garrett K. Gomez | William I. Mott | Peter Vegso | 1+1⁄4 miles | 2:01:18 | $1,000,000 | I | |
| 2007 | Student Council | 5 | Richard Migliore | Vladimir Cerin | Millennium Farms | 1+1⁄4 miles | 2:07.29 | $1,120,000 | I | |
| 2006 | Lava Man | 5 | Corey Nakatani | Doug F. O'Neill | STD Stable & Jason Wood | 1+1⁄4 miles | 2:01.62 | $1,000,000 | I | |
| 2005 | Borrego | 4 | Garrett K. Gomez | C. Beau Greely | J. Kelly, B. Scott, Ralls & Foster | 1+1⁄4 miles | 2:00.71 | $1,000,000 | I | |
| 2004 | Pleasantly Perfect | 6 | Jerry D. Bailey | Richard E. Mandella | Diamond A Racing Corp | 1+1⁄4 miles | 2:01.17 | $1,000,000 | I | |
| 2003 | Candy Ride (ARG) | 4 | Julie Krone | Ron McAnally | Sidney & Jenny Craig | 1+1⁄4 miles | 1:59.11 | $980,000 | I | |
| 2002 | § Came Home | 3 | Mike E. Smith | J. Paco Gonzalez | William S. Farish III, John B. Goodman, Trudy McCaffery & John A. Toffan | 1+1⁄4 miles | 2:01.45 | $1,000,000 | I | |
| 2001 | Skimming | 5 | Garrett K. Gomez | Robert J. Frankel | Juddmonte Farms | 1+1⁄4 miles | 1:59.96 | $1,000,000 | I | |
| 2000 | Skimming | 4 | Garrett K. Gomez | Robert J. Frankel | Juddmonte Farms | 1+1⁄4 miles | 2:01.22 | $1,000,000 | I | |
| 1999 | General Challenge | 3 | David R. Flores | Bob Baffert | Golden Eagle Farm | 1+1⁄4 miles | 2:00.40 | $1,180,000 | I | |
| 1998 | Free House | 4 | Chris McCarron | J. Paco Gonzalez | John A. Toffan & Trudy McCaffery | 1+1⁄4 miles | 2:00.20 | $1,000,000 | I | |
| 1997 | Gentlemen (ARG) | 5 | Gary L. Stevens | Richard E. Mandella | Randall Dee Hubbard | 1+1⁄4 miles | 2:00.40 | $1,375,000 | I | |
| 1996 | Dare and Go | 4 | Alex O. Solis | Richard E. Mandella | La Presle Farm | 1+1⁄4 miles | 1:59.80 | $1,500,000 | I | |
| 1995 | Tinners Way | 5 | Eddie Delahoussaye | Robert J. Frankel | Juddmonte Farms | 1+1⁄4 miles | 1:59.60 | $1,000,000 | I | |
| 1994 | Tinners Way | 4 | Eddie Delahoussaye | Robert J. Frankel | Juddmonte Farms | 1+1⁄4 miles | 1:59.40 | $1,000,000 | I | |
| 1993 | § Bertrando | 4 | Gary L. Stevens | Robert J. Frankel | 505 Farms & Ed Nahem | 1+1⁄4 miles | 1:59.55 | $1,000,000 | I | |
| 1992 | Missionary Ridge (GB) | 5 | Kent J. Desormeaux | Robert J. Frankel | Peter Wall | 1+1⁄4 miles | 2:00.80 | $1,225,000 | ||
| 1991 | Best Pal | 3 | Pat Valenzuela | Gary F. Jones | Golden Eagle Farm | 1+1⁄4 miles | 1:59.80 | $1,000,000 |
