Pacific Classic: Adare Manor is one of 3 Baffert nominations

Nominations for the 34th running of the Grade 1 Pacific Classic closed Thursday night, and 12 horses were nominated to the $1 million race with two big surprises now in the mix.

Trainer Bob Baffert has nominated his mare, Adare Manor, to the classic, one of three nominees from the Baffert barn. Adare Manor was a dominating winner of the Clement Hirsch (G1) this month.

Baffert also has nominated his star colt, Muth, winner of the Arkansas Derby (G1) back on March 30. The son of Good Magic hasn’t raced since. He was being pointed to the second jewel in the Triple Crown, the Preakness Stakes, but got sick and had to be scratched. Muth also is nominated for the $125,000 Shared Belief at a mile on Sunday, Sept. 1.

Reincarnate is the third Baffert nominee to the Pacific Classic. He was runner-up in the Cougar II (G3) at Del Mar last month and runner-up in the Hollywood Gold Cup (G2) at Santa Anita before that. Also a son of Good Magic, he was a Kentucky Derby horse last year, finishing 13th in the run for the roses.

The top three finishers in the local prep for the classic, the San Diego Handicap (G2) are on the nominees’ list. Dr. Venkman won the race, his first around two turns. The son of Ghostzapper hails from the Mark Glatt barn. Katonah was a late-charging second in the San Diego in his first race back in over a year, followed by Express Train, a hard-knocking veteran of the handicap division who has run twice in the Pacific Classic, in 2021 when he finished sixth and in 2022 when he finished fourth behind Flightline.

Trainer Doug O’Neill has nominated a pair of challengers for the Pacific Classic. In addition to Katonah, he’s added Mixto, last out runner-up in the Pleasanton Mile.

Also on the list of nominees is Cougar II winner Midnight Mammoth; Full Serrano, an impressive winner of an entry-level allowance race at Del Mar earlier this month; None Above the Law, the top 3-year old of the 2021 summer meet at Del Mar, and Clooney, who was running for a $20,000 claiming tag in May.

The lone outsider is Il Miracolo, a 4-year-old son of Gun Runner from the Antonio Sano barn in Florida. He ran seventh in the Belmont Stakes last year and most recently finished second to Subsanador in the Philip Iselin (G3) at Monmouth Park last week.

Entries for the Pacific Classic will be drawn Tuesday afternoon. The race is part of a card with five graded stakes next Saturday.