GI Pacific Classic

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott got comfy in his favorite chair in his living room Saturday night in the Spa City. Set the timer on his phone and shut his eyes. His assistant, Neil Poznansky, had gone to sleep by 8 but made sure his clock would wake him around 9:30 p.m. Both wanted to make darn sure they didn't miss the $1-million GI Pacific Classic at Del Mar. They awoke in time to watch the 5-year-old Knightsbridge (Nyquist) put on a dazzling show on...

GI Pacific Classic winner Knightsbridge (Nyquist) vs GI Whitney winner and 2025 Horse of the Year Sovereignty (Into Mischief). Oct. 31 at Keeneland. Horse of the Year and $7 million on the line in the GI Breeders' Cup Classic. Is it okay to dream? For the dream race to become a dream race, at least one box is left to be checked. Sovereignty will need to win the GI Jockey Club Gold Cup on Sept. 18 at Belmont, not exactly an easy task considering the opposition is expected to include...

Joe Harper, the chief executive officer of the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club (DMTC) who will be retiring from his position at the end of the year, has been named the 22nd winner of the Laffit Pincay Jr. Award, the track announced Saturday. Named for and presented by the Hall of Fame rider, the award recognizes those who have served the sport of racing "with integrity, extraordinary dedication, determination and distinction." Harper, 83, recently announced his impending retirement from his full-time position, and his transition to the title CEO Emeritus at...

SARATOGA SPRINGS - Nothing is final yet, but it looks like GI Preakness Stakes winner Napoleon Solo (Liam's Map) will have a new partner in Hall of Fame jockey John Velazquez in his next start. Velazquez was on board the grey for the first time and Napoleon Solo sizzled through five furlongs in :58.81 (1/7) on the main track Wednesday morning. Trainer Chad Summers said Napoleon Solo was originally supposed to work in company with a horse from trainer Rudy Rodriguez's barn but ended up going by himself. Kiaran McLaughlin,...

The 2026 racing at Del Mar will feature 37 stakes races when it kicks off on Friday, July 17 and continues through Monday, Sept. 7 (Labor Day). Tickets for Opening Day and the Summer Racing Season go on sale on Friday, May 8 at 10 a.m. PST at www.dmtc.com/tickets. New this year, Del Mar is hosting a new VIP party in the Seabiscuit Skyroom on opening day. The ticketed event takes place in the opulent Seabiscuit Skyroom on the Grandstand's sixth floor. Refreshed Friday Programming: Fridays at Del Mar get...

Facing plenty of racing dram this past weekend, trainer Todd Pletcher confirmed that GI Pacific Classic and GI Jockey Club Gold Cup winners Fierceness (City of Light) and Antiquarian (Preservationist), respectively, came out of their races in good order and will train up to the GI Breeders' Cup Classic at Del Mar. The Gold Cup was marred by an incident soon after the start, where Pletcher-trained Mindframe (Constitution) swerved, dropping Irad Ortiz Jr. and was ultimately collared by the outrider. "[Antiquarian] is doing excellent, very good," Pletcher said of the...

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - All summer long, Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher has fielded questions, seemingly daily, about the two marquee older horses that live in his barn at the Oklahoma Training Track. The goal, Pletcher said, was to keep Fierceness (City of Light) and Mindframe (Constitution) as far apart from each other as possible. On the racetrack that is. Mission accomplished. That weekend is here, and the two 4-year-olds are spending it on opposite ends of the country. Fierceness is in California to run in the GI, $1...

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - At 6:30 Sunday morning, Sovereignty (Into Mischief), the hero of the 156h GI, $1.25 million Travers Stakes, was out and about around the Hall of Fame barn of trainer Bill Mott at the Oklahoma Training Track The 3-year-old colt, fresh off his resounding 10-length win in the Travers, grazed in the courtyard at the barn, looking like he could run another 1 ¼ miles later in the day. The margin of victory is tied for the fourth largest in Travers history. Sovereignty's blowout win was the...

Aron Wellman, the managing partner for Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, has confirmed that GI Preakness and GI Haskell Stakes winner Journalism (Curlin) will make his next start in Saturday's Pacific Classic at Del Mar. The decision came after Journalism worked five furlongs in 1:00 Saturday at Del Mar. The $1 million race to be run on Aug. 30 will mark his first appearance against older horse. The field is also expected to include two outstanding older horses in Nysos (Nyquist) and Fierceness (City of Light). "Putting Journalism on a plane again...

Multiple Grade I hero Journalism (Curlin) was out over the Del Mar racetrack Saturday morning for his latest move as his connections continue talks about entering in the GI Pacific Classic. Out on an overcast day, the son of Curlin put in a five-furlong breeze in 1-minute flat, the 30th fastest of 69 that morning at the distance, with regular rider Umberto Rispoli in the irons. The pair went in company with SP Phosphorescence (Fr) (City of Light). It was the longest of his three works at the track in...

MGISW Journalism (Curlin) put in his first work since arriving back from the Jersey Shore following his victory in the G1 Haskell Invitational at Monmouth Park last month. The GI Preakness Stakes winner, who was the runner-up in the GI Kentucky Derby and GI Belmont Stakes, returned to trainer Michael McCarthy's barn on the Del Mar backside a few days after the Haskell. On Saturday, it was back to work for Journalism who went four furlongs in :48.40 with rider Tony Gutierrez in the saddle. McCarthy clocked his colt with...

Fresh off a victory in the GI NYRA Bets Haskell Stakes at Monmouth Park, Journalism (Curlin) went to the track at Del Mar Thursday morning to stretch his legs following his return to the seaside oval Tuesday evening. "Looks like he's doing very well," trainer Michael McCarthy said. "No plans yet. Just keeping everything on the table." When asked if the 3-year-old's next race might be facing older horses in the GI Pacific Classic at Del Mar, McCarthy said, "At some stage you're going to have to run against older...