A pair of ‘Win and You’re In’ Breeders’ Cup qualifying races top the Saturday card at Del Mar led by the $1 million FanDuel Racing Pacific Classic. The Grade 1 race at 1 1/4 miles lost some of its luster with Friday’s scratch of the favorite and only filly in the race, Adare Manor. But the other eight runners now have a better chance to earn the automatic fees-paid entry to the $7 million Breeders’ Cup Classic Nov. 2 at Del Mar for the World Championships.

The $150,000 Green Flash Handicap is a 5 furlong sprint on the turf and awards the winner an entry into the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint.

Understanding Horse Racing And Bet Types

Horse racing continues “Where the Turf Meets the Surf” at Del Mar Sunday and Monday on Labor Day with two stakes races each day including Sunday’s Caesars Sportsbook Del Mar Derby on the turf.

The month of August closes Saturday with the Week 1 college football games and top teams in action including No. 1 Georgia vs. No. 14 Clemson and No. 7 Notre Dame at No. 20 Texas A&M. Sunday’s big college football matchup is No. 13 LSU vs. No. 23 USC from Allegian Stadium in Las Vegas and broadcast nationally on ABC and also ESPN+.

Pacific Classic And Graded Stakes Picks

I turned to the experts at Horse Racing Nation (HRN) and it’s Super Screener big stakes race analysis for more insight on the $1 million FanDuel Racing Pacific Classic and other graded stakes at Del Mar. Top win contenders are provided for the races at Del Mar, plus bonus picks from the biggest races this weekend at Saratoga.

The Pacific Classic and all other races at Del Mar will be shown live on FanDuel TV with support from an on-site team providing handicapping analysis, news updates, and interviews.

Opening parimutuel odds are subject to change and adjust as more bets come in on the races. Race 4 is at 6 p.m. ET (3pm Pacific at Del Mar) and Race 10 Pacific Classic at 9;13 p.m. ET. Four of the 5 races are for 3-year-olds & up.

Race 4: $150,000 Torrey Pines Stakes (G3) – 1 mile for 3 year old filles

• #7 Nothing Like You (9/2) – Top Value, Most Reliable to hit the board
• #3 Hope Road (4/5)

Race 5: $300,000 Del Mar Handicap (G2) – 1 3/8 miles on the turf

• #8 El Encinal (10/1) – Top Longshot
• #7 Gold Phoenix (5/2) – Most Reliabl

Race 9: $150,000 Green Flash Handicap (G2) – 5 furlongs on the turf

• #9 Connie Swingle (9/2) – Most reliable
• #7 Unconquerable Keen (8/1) – Top value
• #8 No Nay Hudson (6/1)

One of the best wagering opportunities of the day with 12 turf sprinters in the Green Flash Handicap. The only filly in the field Connie Swingle is a remarkable 10 for 11 in the Exacta (1st or 2nd) on all surfaces and 2-for-2 in the win column at this distance over this turf course.

Race 10: $1 Million FanDuel Racing Pacific Classic – 1 1/4 miles (3 yr old & up)

• #3 Dr. Venkman (5/2)
• #7 Adare Manor (scratched)

Race 11: $300,000 Del Mar Mile – 1 mile on the turf (high payoff potential)

• #4 Almedares (10/1) – Top Value
• #3 Du Jour (8/5) – Most reliable
• #2 Halfway Line (15/1)

Pacific Classic Profiles

Eight of the past 11 post-time favorites have won the Pacific Classic. And 13 of the past 14 Pacific Classic winners produced an Equibase Speed Figure of at least 100 in the two races prior to the Pacific Classic.

These are the leading contenders in the 2024 edition of the Pacific Classic:

• #7 Adare Manor (9/5): The original morning-line favorite was scratched Friday and will not race in the Pacific Classic after she tied up after her gallop on Thursday. ‘Tied up’ is known as being nervous and can be painful, uncontrollable muscle contractions similar to a muscle cramp in humans. Her leading jockey Juan Hernandez is riding the favorite in the Race 11, Del Mar Mile. Adare Manor trainer Bob Baffert still has Reincarnate running in the Pacific Classic as he shoots for hist record 8th win in the Pacific Classic, most recently in 2023 with the slight favorite Arabian Knight.
• #3 Dr. Venkman (5/2): Ridden by Antonio Fresu and trained by Mark Glatt, his 4-year-old only has five starts underneath him, and only one try at two turns which he won with a stalk and pounce effort in the local prep for the Pacific Classic. He’s 3-for-3 at Del Mar.
• #6 Full Serrano (12/1): Trainer Jon Sadler has won four of the last six Pacific Classic’s including the 2023 edition with the record 19-length romp by the fantastic Flightline, who went on to win the Breeders’ Cup Classic. Full Serrano has to take a step forward from his last Allowance race. However, his form in Argentina suggests the mile and a quarter may be the key. Even though he was off the board in his only 1 ¼-mile dirt try, that came over a wet-fast track much earlier in his career. More recent 1 ¼-mile tries on turf were better, including a runner-up finish by a nose in a Grade 3 race.
• #1 Il Miracolo (5/1): HOF 59-year-old jockey Mike Smith rides for trainer Antonio Sano. A win would by II Miracolo would be his first Grade 1 victory, along with all the other runners in a weaker edition of the Pacific Classic. But II Miracolo is a strong candidate to move forward and challenge with Adare Manor scratched, and this colit is sired by the great Gun Runner, a 6-time Grade 1 winner including the Pacific Classics.
• #5 Katonah (8/1): Trainer Doug O’Neill has not raced this colt in more than 1-year until his recent runner-up finish behind Dr. Venkman in the San Diego Handicap last month. He has the tactical ability to sit off the pace and stay out of a battle – which will be a bit less intense without Adare Manor, but may still unfold. He’s never raced beyond 1 1/16 miles, which is the concern stretching out to 1 1/4 miles.
• #4 Reincarnate (8/1): Reincarnate does his best work when he can make the front, which jockey Kazushi Kimura should be able to do with the scratch of Adare Manor. Trainer Bob Baffert liked his horses effort two races back when finishing runner-up after having the lead in the stretch of the 1 1/4 mile Hollywood Gold Cup (G2) at Santa Anita.

Horse players are getting ready and excited for the Breeders’ Cup Handicapping Challenge which has contests available to win your way into the BCHC at Del Mar.

Racing fans can can also enjoy mobile betting through FanDuel Racing. That includes for two other big Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series races this weekend from Saratoga in Upstate New York.

• Aug. 31: $500,000 Flower Bowl (G2) – 1 1/8 miles for older fillies & mares (auto entry to BC Filly & Mare Turf)
• Sept. 1: $1 Million Jockey Club Gold Cup (G1) – 1 1/4 miles (auto entry to BC Classic)

Also, Saturday’s Spinaway Stakes at Saratoga is for 2-year-old fillies and one to watch and wager on as next year’s crop of top-3 year olds are developed.

Check out more horse racing news, races and picks with information you can bet on for the biggest races on the way to the 2024 Breeders’ Cup World Championships Nov. 1-2 at Del Mar.

You can bet on it.

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