Best Pal, a fan favorite, won the inaguaral Pacific Classic in 1991 at ole' Del Mar, and legendary Unbridled, ran third.
The original Del Mar, and I had dark hair, drove a Ford Probe and was 60 pounds lighter.
Yup, another lifetime ago.
I went thru the Frankel 4 year streak of winning the Pacific Classic, with imports Missionary Ridge, Tinners Way, twice, and of course the amazing Cal-bred Bertrando.
1996, Del Mar packed in over 40,000 spectators, to see Cigar attempt to continue his streak.
The most memorable memory that stands out in my mind is when Cigar galloped on the main the week of the Classic, we had over 2500 fans out to see him, only to be rivaled by American Pharoah in 2015 when over 10,000 showed up to Spa to see him gallop in the morning prior to the Travers.
Both American Pharoah and Cigar have something in common, they lost that race, a pimple on their brilliant careers.
Dare and Go and Mandella stole the show running right by Cigar, after Jerry Bailey inexplicably sent him on the first turn, in one of the most premature moves I have ever seen, to this day, I have no idea why he did that.
Free House winning the 1998 Pacific Classic, if I remember correctly Touch Gold had shipped in for Pat Bryne, and recall him working really fast, and the next time out on the track he washed out horribly, he didn't run a step and his career was done.
Free House was a fan favorite, like Best Pal had been 7 years earlier.
Frankel, once again, won with European import Skimming, in 2000-2001, back to back.
Came Home, the venerable Cal-bred, won it for Paco Gonzalez, Paco's 2nd win in 4 years and 4th Cal-bred to win in first 11 years.
Candy Ride, Lava man graced the winners circle at Del Mar for the Pacific Classic, and then the Dark Ages, the era of synthetic hit the Del Mar shores.
I recall in 2007, Del Mar had a meet and greet the Poly, and fans got to come and walk on it, etc.
A buddy of mine, Ted, kept pacing up and down near the wire. He looked up and yelled out "they are running on garbage'', and he was correct, it was recycled carpet fibers, rubber scraps, and other 'garbage'.
The polytrack mandate descended the Dark Ages upon California racing. It was never the same again.
Beholder, California Chrome, Accelerate, and Flightline brought back some respectability to the Pacific Classic in the last ten years. All but 'Chrome of them went on to win a Breeders Cup race.
Beholder was the phenomenal mare, Flightline the All-world speedster that only raced a handful of time and Accelerate who cashed in with a Breeders Cup triumph off the Pacific Classic victory.
Del Mar, on the edge of the west coast with the waters of the Pacific Ocean in its backyard, is a perfect setting this weekend.
I am not driving a Ford Probe anymore, I have grey hair and a bit rotund, but this is a great weekend at Del mar no matter what.
