Pacific Classic: Del Mar, No. 71 in the IFHA Top 100, prize fund, results and next running

About the race

The Pacific Classic is the feature race of the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club’s summer meeting at Del Mar, California. It is run over 1 1/4 miles on dirt for three-year-olds and upwards and carries a guaranteed USD 1,000,000 purse; Del Mar describes it as the west’s richest stakes race. According to Del Mar, the inaugural running in 1991 was won by Best Pal. It is a Breeders’ Cup ‘Win and You’re In’ qualifier for the Breeders’ Cup Classic.

The 35th running, on 30 August 2025, was won by Fierceness for Repole Stable, Derrick Smith, Michael B. Tabor and Mrs. John Magnier, trained by Todd Pletcher and ridden by John Velazquez. He beat Journalism, with Ultimate Gamble third, in 2:01.00 and was later voted Del Mar’s Horse of the Meet. The IFHA rated the race at 116.75. The 36th running, on 22 August 2026, went to Godolphin’s Knightsbridge, trained by Bill Mott and ridden by Junior Alvarado, by 6 1/4 lengths.

The 2025 running

Date	Winner	Jockey	Trainer	Owner
30 August 2025	Fierceness	John Velazquez	Todd Pletcher	Repole Stable, Derrick Smith, Michael B. Tabor and Mrs. John Magnier

From the official result.

The 2026 running

Date	Winner	Jockey	Trainer	Owner
22 August 2026	Knightsbridge	Junior Alvarado	Bill Mott	Godolphin

From the official result.

Recognition and facts

Qualifier for: Breeders' Cup Classic (Breeders' Cup Challenge 'Win and You're In')
Inaugural winner: Best Pal (1991), according to Del Mar
2026 running: 36th, Saturday 22 August 2026
IFHA 2025 rating: 116.75 (rank 71)

Questions readers ask

When is the Pacific Classic run?

In late August during Del Mar's summer meeting. The 2025 running was on 30 August and the 2026 running on 22 August. Del Mar had not published a 2027 date by 12 October 2026.

What is the prize fund of the Pacific Classic?

USD 1,000,000 guaranteed in 2026, the same as in 2025.

Who won the Pacific Classic in 2025?

Fierceness, owned by Repole Stable, Derrick Smith, Michael B. Tabor and Mrs. John Magnier, trained by Todd Pletcher and ridden by John Velazquez, won on 30 August 2025.

Sources

The rank and rating are from the IFHA's LONGINES World's Top 100 Group/Grade 1 Races 2025, published 21 January 2026, which ranks races by the ratings of their first four finishers. Other facts are from the pages listed below.

The Top 100 Group 1 races

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