Pacific Classic Preview: Trainers Keep Cards Close as Decision Time Nears

Michael McCarthy leaned against the rail at Del Mar, arms folded, his gaze fixed on Journalism as the colt cooled out after a sharp half-mile work. Around him, the seaside track buzzed with its usual Sunday hum, but McCarthy’s thoughts—like those of many horsemen—were fixed firmly on the $1 million Grade 1 Pacific Classic two weeks away.

For once, the picture isn’t clear. By this stage most summers, the Pacific Classic field has more or less taken shape. But this year uncertainty reigns. Some trainers are stalling, waiting to see whether Preakness and Haskell winner Journalism will take the plunge against older horses. Others are juggling options from Saratoga to Santa Anita, with decisions delayed until nominations close next Thursday.

“Still a lot to be determined,” racing secretary David Jerkens admitted. “We’ve reached out to everybody who has a decent older handicap-type horse. The picture will start to get clearer in the next couple of days.”

Nysos Leads the Probables, White Abarrio in Limbo

One thing seems certain—Nysos, Bob Baffert’s brilliant son of Nyquist, is pointing squarely to the Pacific Classic after his victory in last month’s Grade 2 San Diego. He sharpened with a seven-furlong drill in 1:24.60 over the weekend and heads a list of four probables: stablemate Mirahmadi, Midnight Mammoth for Craig Dollase, and Indispensable from John Sadler’s barn.

Then there’s the suspense around White Abarrio, last year’s Breeders’ Cup Classic winner. Initially expected to ship West, his connections are now leaning toward the Grade 1 Jockey Club Gold Cup at Saratoga on August 31. He turned in a :47.40 bullet last week in New York, leaving the Del Mar faithful to wonder if they’ll see him at all before November.

Journalism’s Crossroads

The horse everyone’s waiting on is Journalism. For McCarthy and owner Aron Wellman, the Pacific Classic offers an attractive “Win and You’re In” berth to the Breeders’ Cup Classic—but Journalism already has his ticket after winning the Haskell. Do they roll the dice against older horses now, or wait until the Goodwood Stakes at Santa Anita in late September?

It wouldn’t be unprecedented for a sophomore to win the Pacific Classic—six have done so before—but the connections are weighing whether two more races before the Breeders’ Cup might be one too many. “We’ll know more after his next breeze,” McCarthy said.

Among other possibles are Malarchuk (McCarthy’s new acquisition), Mark Glatt’s Ultimate Gamble, and Peter Eurton’s Tarantino, who may instead accept an invitation to Korea. All remain on the bubble.

Pacific Classic Headlines a Festival Day

The Grade 1 Pacific Classic anchors a loaded card on Saturday, August 30, alongside the G2 Del Mar Handicap, G2 Del Mar Mile, G3 Green Flash, and G3 Torrey Pines. It promises one of the summer’s most compelling days of racing—if the field comes together.

What’s certain is that anticipation is building. Every breeze, every hint of a trainer’s lean, is being watched closely. The Pacific Classic is always a summer jewel, but this year it comes wrapped in more intrigue than most.

And when the gates open two weeks from now, all the second-guessing, hedging, and what-ifs will fade to the sound of hooves pounding down Del Mar’s stretch.

Conclusion

The Pacific Classic preview is less about confirmed starters and more about suspense. Will Journalism take the leap? Will White Abarrio ship West? And can Nysos stamp himself as California’s best? The answers will unfold soon enough, but for now, Del Mar is bracing for a Classic that could be as unpredictable as the summer surf.

Visit Del Mar’s official website for more on the Pacific Classic.

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