Knightsbridge returned to the Del Mar barn area on Sunday morning for a quieter day after producing the standout performance of Pacific Classic Day, with the four-year-old given time to recover following a commanding victory in the $1 million Pacific Classic.
Pacific Classic 2026 results are now complete.
The Knightsbridge camp had little reason to hurry. The Pacific Classic winner took a short walk around the shedrow before settling back into the Richard Mandella barn, where the horse had been based since arriving at Del Mar the previous weekend. The winner looked tired after covering a demanding mile and a quarter but remained alert to the activity around the stable.
Trainer Bill Mott is now expected to map out the next stage of the campaign, with Knightsbridge likely to leave Del Mar later this week. The Pacific Classic victory has secured a place in the Breeders’ Cup Classic at Keeneland this autumn.
Knightsbridge arrived at Del Mar with considerable attention after an outstanding performance in the Grade 3 Monmouth Cup, where the horse recorded a 122 Beyer Speed Figure, the highest figure of the year at that stage.
The Pacific Classic presented a different test.
There were questions over whether Knightsbridge could carry the speed over 1¼ miles, particularly if the early pace became demanding. Those doubts were answered decisively.
Knightsbridge remained involved through a strong early section and continued to find plenty when the race entered its decisive stages. Full Serrano kept the pressure on for much of the journey, but Knightsbridge gradually separated from the field before pulling clear to win by 6¼ lengths.
The result turned the Pacific Classic into a statement performance and strengthened the horse’s position among the leading American older runners heading toward the autumn championship races.
Original Sin produced a strong late run from the rear of the field to take second in the closing stages, with Full Serrano finishing third.
Om N Joy also made significant late ground to secure fourth.
The remaining order was Hit Show, Malarchuk, Forged Steel, British Isles, Navajo Warrior, Subsanador and Finger.
The result also marked the second consecutive year that an East Coast-based runner had travelled west to win the Pacific Classic, following Fierceness in 2025.
The undercard produced another notable performance when Tam Tam captured the Grade 1 Del Mar Oaks.
The three-year-old moved into contention through the middle stages before taking command and holding on to defeat Lookin at Diamond by 1¼ lengths.
Kensington Lane, who had set the early pace, finished third, with Green Carrera fourth.
The victory added a Grade 1 success to Tam Tam’s record and could lead to a return to Kentucky before a possible appearance in the Queen Elizabeth II Cup at Keeneland on October 10.
Phil D’Amato enjoyed a productive afternoon elsewhere on the card, with Sorrento Sky taking the Grade 2 Green Flash and King of Gosford winning the Grade 2 Del Mar Mile.
Sorrento Sky came from last to first in the Green Flash, producing a late surge to get up close to the finish. The victory continued D’Amato’s remarkable record in the race, giving the trainer four consecutive wins in the event.
The Green Flash success also places Sorrento Sky in consideration for the autumn championship programme, although the horse will need to be made eligible before a final decision is taken.
King of Gosford, meanwhile, remains another contender whose next few starts will help determine the direction of the campaign. A strong performance in the City of Hope at Santa Anita could provide another route toward a major autumn target.
Attention now turns to the penultimate week of the Del Mar meeting, with the Grade 2 Del Mar Handicap among the principal attractions.
Gold Phoenix will attempt to achieve something rarely seen in racing by winning the race for a fifth consecutive time.
Only Kelso and Australia’s Manikato have previously won the same stakes race five times, giving Gold Phoenix the opportunity to join a very select group.
Fourteen horses have been nominated for the 1⅜-mile contest on the Jimmy Durante Turf Course. Test Score is among those entered, while Mondego and Nitti are other notable possibilities.
The Grade 2 Pat O’Brien will provide another major Saturday feature over seven furlongs. Last year’s winner Dr. Venkman is being considered for a return, with Nevada Beach, Privman, Shea Brennan, Stronghold and Big City Lights among the other horses nominated.
Sunday’s Grade 3 Torrey Pines Stakes will complete the weekend’s graded programme for three-year-old fillies. Mohaven and She’s No Quant are among those nominated for the one-mile contest.
Joe Bravo has also made a positive impression during his return to the Del Mar jockey room.
The veteran rider has recorded six victories from 45 mounts through Saturday, along with four second-place finishes. His return to California has been helped by previous experience at Del Mar and familiarity with many of the trainers and riders competing at the meeting.
Bravo has built a distinguished career over several decades, recording 5,758 victories and 118 graded-stakes wins. The rider has also collected 22 riding titles at Monmouth Park and the Meadowlands.
His approach at Del Mar has remained straightforward: spend the mornings around the barns, maintain relationships with trainers and make the most of every opportunity.
The return has also given Bravo another chance to work in an environment where many of the horses are being prepared for the major autumn meetings.
Fog affected training operations at Del Mar on Sunday morning, delaying official timing until around 9am.
Ninety horses eventually recorded official workouts, with 67 working on the main track and 23 on the turf.
Among the notable dirt works were Balladeer and Ocean Bear, both covering four furlongs. On turf, Ag Bullet, Lovesick Blues and Mr. A.P. completed four-furlong works, while Gold Phoenix and Thought Process covered five furlongs.
Gold Phoenix worked five furlongs in 1:03.00 as preparations continued for the Del Mar Handicap.
The Pacific Classic meeting therefore closed with Knightsbridge at the centre of attention, but the next week at Del Mar promises another set of significant storylines, with Gold Phoenix chasing history and several horses beginning to shape their autumn campaigns.
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