$1 Million Pacific Coast Classic promises clash of titans

With California Chrome, Beholder and Dortmund set to run in Saturday’s Pacific Coast Classic, the race is setting up as a battle-royal for best horse in the west.

The mile-and-a-quarter $1 million Pacific Coast Classic, Del Mar Racetrack, California, has a lineup that racing secretaries dream about. The long awaited match-up of heavyweights California Chrome and Beholder has racing fans white-knuckled. Well beyond the flush of youth, California Chrome at five and Beholder at six, are race hardened veterans, each unafraid to hook and outrun their rivals.

Dortmund has just one race in 2016, a narrow loss to California Chrome in the San Diego Handicap. As a 4-year old Dortmund is coming into his own, his trainer Bob Baffert says he’s gained weight since the last race, clocking in at a behemoth 1,343 pounds. That size might be a worry if Dortmund hadn’t been posting strong works, including a bullet in his latest Aug. 14. He is second on the morning line at 5-2.

California Chrome’s 2016 campaign has been strategic. He had a prep race at Santa Anita and a prep in Dubai before tackling the Dubai World Cup at the end of March. Chrome beat the best in Dubai, winning the World Cup with authority. He was given a break and brought back for the San Diego Handicap, July 23, where Dortmund lost. He stalked Dortmund for most of the trip then pounced on him, like a cat on a grasshopper, and took the lead. But the grasshopper fought back, under urging Chrome prevailed over Dortmund. California Chrome is the morning line favorite at 8-5. Keep an eye on him overcoming his less-than-ideal post draw of the one spot.

Beholder is one of those California mares everyone loves; her long career has earned her admirers from around the world. And with good reason, she is a racing machine. She ended an eight-race winning streak, including last year’s Pacific Coast Classic, with a hard-fought loss to Stellar Wind in the Clement L. Hirsch Stakes early in the Del Mar meet. Beholder is 3-1 on the morning line.

There are a couple of sneaky guys who could find a win. Hard Aces at 15-1 has a backstory of pulling off wins thought improbable. Hoppertunity, 8-1, has been around and won a couple of good races, but he’s more likely to be on the board than win.

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The post positions and morning line odds for the field of the Pacific Coast Classic are:

1. California Chrome, 8-5
2. Hoppertunity, 8-1
3. War Story, 30-1
4. Hard Aces, 15-1
5. Win the Space, 15-1
6. Imperative, 20-1
7. Beholder, 3-1
8. Dortmund, 5-2
9. Dalmore, 20-1

Details of the entries for the Pacific Coast Classic are here. The Pacific Coast Classic can be seen on TVG products and listened to on HRRN. Post time is 6:15 p.m. PST.