Pick 3 of the Week: Del Mar Saturday

August 28th, 2025

The Pacific Classic headlines a massive day of racing at Del Mar on Saturday, and I will go after the closing Pick 3 with the feature in the middle of the sequence. 

Race 9 Wager

$2 Pick 3: 9,10 with 1,4,6 with 5,7,11 ($36)

Race 9 – Green Flash H. (G3)

The five-furlong grassy dash attracted an overflow field of 15 in a challenging opening leg of the play. #10 Motorious has won the past two editions of the race for Phil D’Amato, and the gelding was also a dominant winner of the Daytona S. (G3) in June in his lone run in 2025. The bay missed by a neck in the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint (G1) on the course in the fall and loves this surface. 

#9 First Peace was last seen rallying for an impressive victory in the Eddie D. S. (G2), going down the hill at Santa Anita in September, and comes in fresh for Mark Glatt. Fleet son of Funtastic possesses a fine turn of foot and could move forward on the cutback to five panels for the initial time. The gray will have Mike Smith in the silks.

Race 10 – Pacific Classic (G1)

The ‘big three’ in the field are impossible to separate for me, and I feel that the race will come down to the fantastic trio in the final yards. I have a hard time seeing any horse upsetting the formidable #1 Fierceness#4 Nysos, and #6 Journalism in the $1 million event.  

Race 11 – Del Mar H. (G2)

The closing part of the sequence will be contested at 1 3/8 miles on the green with a well-matched field of 11 signed on for the voyage. Two-time Grade 2 victor #5 Atitlan ran arguably the best race of his lifetime in his lone run at 1 1/2 miles when rolling home in the San Luis Rey S. (G3) at Santa Anita in March. The John Shirreffs pupil made a big late run to fall 1 1/2 lengths short in the Shoemaker Mile (G1) in his latest appearance, and I feel that he will prosper getting more ground with which to work with in this endeavor. 

#7 Truly Quality captured the 12-furlong Hollywood Gold Cup (G2) in his lone previous appearance at Del Mar and will be a major factor with a repeat of that showing. The Jonathan Thomas pupil will have Umberto Rispoli in the silks. I’m not thrilled with defending champ #11 Gold Phoenix drawing the demanding outside post in the tilt, but he loves Del Mar and is also three-for-three at the trip, as well. I do have faith, however, that Flavien Prat will steer this one to a sensible trip in the finale. 

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT