Money Back Special picks for Del Mar's Pacific Classic 2018 card
With TVG the title sponsor of Saturday's Grade 1, $1 million Pacific Classic, our partner is also running a special for the Del Mar card.
TVG will match a $100 deposit for new members, and both new and existing players are eligible for a Monday Back Special on all Saturday races at Del Mar. If your win pick finishes second or third, simply, you get a refund.
With the Money Back Special promotion in mind, here are five horses to play:
Race 1 - #3 True Validity
The Pacific Classic day card begins with a juvenile filly dirt sprint for maidens, and True Validity is strictly the one to beat. Simon Callaghan’s $270,000 purchase landed the show in both outings, and she ran into a pair of quality fillies last time (Brill, Del Mar May). Rafael Bejarano takes the call, and graduation day has seemingly arrived.
Race 4 - #5 Perfectly Majestic
This flat mile turf race sets up for a closer, and Perfectly Majestic fits the bill. The 6-year-old gelding exits back-to-back rallying show finishes in minor stakes events. He has not won in quite some time, but likes this turf course (9 3-1-4), and should be finishing fastest of all under Rafael Bejarano.
Race 7 - #6 Stone Hands
This optional claiming dirt sprint should have lively splits, and Stone Hands might sit the right stalking trip. The 4-year-old colt lost his way vs. graded sprinters in his last pair. He fired exacta shots in his first five starts this year and can compete here if those last two races did not ruin his confidence.
Race 8 - #4 Ollie’s Candy
The Grade 1 Del Mar Oaks is a competitive event as always, and Ollie’s Candy might be a cut above the rest. She could not quite reel in War Heroine from post 13 in the Grade 2 San Clemente in her turf debut at one mile July 2, and that was her first loss in four starts. The versatile filly is training forwardly for this and should appreciate today’s added ground.
Race 11 - #12 Avalanche
The finale on the Pacific Classic Day program is a wide open optional claiming turf route. Avalanche is a fairly consistent late runner, and he might move up second off the shelf under Joel Rosario. He looked good working for this Aug 13, and he captured his lone turf attempt at this distance. He has experience with breaking outside, and there is nothing wrong with outer post positions at a mile and a sixteenth on the Del Mar turf course.