Adare Manor © Benoit Photo
Five graded stakes, more than $2 million in purses, a trio of free rides into the Breeders’ Cup, 11 chances to get rich and famous – what more could a horseman or horse woman, not to mention a horse player -- ask for on a Saturday afternoon? And all of it with the backdrop of the turf and surf and sunshine at one of racing’s great proving grounds at Del Mar on the beach starting at 1:30 in the afternoon.
Foremost among the foremost day of racing at the seaside oval’s 85th summer stand will be the 34th edition of the $1-million FanDuel Racing Pacific Classic, a mile and one quarter crucible that offers a rich prize, Grade I status and guaranteed entrance into America’s richest race – the $7-million Breeders’ Cup Classic, which will be contested for the 41st time right here at Del Mar come November 2.
Heading Del Mar’s ‘Classic’ is the top-of-the-line racemare Adare Manor, who’ll take on eight male rivals as she wears the role of the favorite in the headliner. Michael Lund Petersen’s 10-time winner and earner of more than $2 million has two special aces in her corner heading postward Saturday – she’s been prepared for the race by Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert, who has already visited the winner's circle following this race a record seven times, and she’ll be ridden by Juan Hernandez, who is currently closing in on his fifth shore riding crown.
Also on the Saturday agenda are a pair of $300,000, Grade II turf features, the first being the oldest stakes in the track’s history – this is #85 -- in the mile and three eighths Del Mar Handicap, presented by the Japan Racing Association, while the other will be the 38th running of the Del Mar Mile, presented at eight furlongs on the Jimmy Durante Turf Course, just as you’d suppose based on its name.
The Del Mar Handicap has drawn a wonderful warrior named Gold Phoenix, who runs in the silks of Little Red Feather Racing and partners, going for his third consecutive victory in the marathon, while the shorter ‘Mile’ get its defending champ in Baffert & Lanni’s Du Jour back to give it another go.
Further on the menu is the Grade III, $150,000 Green Flash Handicap, a five-furlong blur on the green that provides its winner with entrance into the $1-million Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint at Del Mar on November 2. While also part of the show is the $150,000, Grade III testing named the Torrey Pines Stakes that will shine the light on some of the best 3-year-old fillies on the grounds as they cover a mile on the main track.
The stakes five-bagger will lay out like this: Torrey Pines Stakes (Race 4 – Post approx. 3 p.m.); Del Mar Handicap (Race 5 – Post approx. 3:30 p.m.); Green Flash Handicap (Race 9 – Post approx. 5:30 p.m.); FanDuel Racing Pacific Classic (Race 10 – Post approx. 6 p.m.), and Del Mar Mile (Race 11 – Post approx. 6:30 p.m.).
In addition to all the exceptional stakes racing, Del Mar also will conduct a special ceremony in the winner's circle just prior to Race 4 when Laffit Pincay, Jr., the retired Hall of Fame jockey, will present his coveted Pincay Award for the 20th time. This year’s recipient is another Hall of Famer, trainer Richard Mandella.
