Finger © Akihiko Takeda
The Del Mar racing office has released its list of Early Pacific Classic Possibles. It lists nine horses whose connections have indicated they might run in the $1 million, Grade I race on August 22.
Alphabetically it starts with Finger, a Japanese-bred horse who reportedly skipped the last leg of the Japan Triple Crown so he could run in the Classic. A big deal because he had won the first two legs of the series, the Haneda Hai and the Tokyo Derby. He’s a talented 3-year-old who is due to arrive at Del Mar on August 16 to begin his quarantine and final preparations for the big race.
Trainer Saffie Joseph, Jr., is hoping lightning can strike twice with Forged Steel. The son of Vekoma came out west in May and took the G2 Hollywood Gold Cup on Memorial Day at Santa Anita.
Full Serrano is feeling better from the quarter crack that forced him to scratch the day of the G2 San Diego. The 2024 Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile winner is trained by John Sadler.
Also mentioned on the Del Mar list of ‘possibles’ for the 36th running of the G1 Pacific Classic is Knightsbridge, a good-looking son of Nyquist who would ship out from the Bill Mott barn at Saratoga. He just won the G3 Monmouth Cup by 10 ¼ lengths, posting a 122 Beyer Speed Figure, the highest of 2026.
Mc Vay is a 5-year-old son of Constitution, who ran third in the Hollywood Gold Cup. He’s out of trainer Peter Eurton’s barn.
Nysos is expected to be the post time favorite in Del Mar’s marquee race. He just won the G1 Met Mile at Saratoga defeating runner-up Knightsbridge by four lengths. The son of Nyquist has shown an affinity for our seaside track. He’s 3-for-3 at Del Mar, including a win in the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile last fall.
Rounding out the list of ‘possibles’ for the Pacific Classic are Subsanador, a hard-knocking 7-year-old out of the Richard Mandella barn, and The Goat, a Chilean-bred who has run twice in the states, most recently finishing fourth in the G2 San Diego at Del Mar.
Entries for the Pacific Classic will be drawn Sunday, August 16.