The 3-year-olds showed up their older peers in the Sept. 2 Pacific Classic (G1) at Del Mar, as Arabian Knight held off Geaux Rocket Ride in a thriller that spoke to the quality of both 3-year-olds. In the process, Arabian Knight's Hall of Fame trainer, Bob Baffert, broke a tie with the late Bobby Frankel to win the race for the seventh time, a skein that began with another 3-year-old, General Challenge, in 1999.
Zedan Racing Stables' Arabian Knight took it to the field in the $1.025 million race from the start, winging his way to the front early under jockey Flavien Prat. Even though the colt likes to run on the lead early, it was a daring strategy, given the distance of 1 1/4 miles and the off-the-pace threats that could loom, especially Geaux Rocket Ride.
Those two 3-year-olds had met at 1 1/8 miles in the July 22 Haskell Stakes (G1) at Monmouth Park, when Geaux Rocket Ride defeated Kentucky Derby (G1) winner Mage by 1 3/4 lengths and Arabian Knight finished two lengths back in third after setting the early pace. Baffert knew going into the Pacific Classic that Geaux Rocket Ride would pose the biggest threat.
For the Pacific Classic, Baffert brought in jockey Flavien Prat to ride. John Velazquez had ridden the colt in his first three starts: daylight victories in a 2022 maiden race at Keeneland and the Jan. 28 Southwest Stakes (G3) at Oaklawn Park as well when returning from a long break in the Haskell. Earlier on the Sept. 2 card, Prat won the Del Mar Mile (G2T) on Baffert-trained Du Jour, a horse owned by Baffert's wife, Jill, and Debbie Lanni.
Geaux Rocket Ride and jockey Mike Smith drew the rail, while Arabian Knight and Prat drew post 9. When the gate opened, Prat and Arabian Knight took the lead. Longshot Piroli raced in second, while Smith had Geaux Rocket Ride on the rail in third.
Bob Baffert is with @ScottFDTV to talk about his win in the @FanDuel Racing Pacific Classic (GI) with ARABIAN KNIGHT.
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From the very beginning, Baffert was waiting for Geaux Rocket Ride.
"I kept watching for the 1—I knew the 1 was the horse to beat," Baffert said. "He looked fantastic in the paddock."
Baffert also has great respect for Richard Mandella, the Hall of Fame trainer of Geaux Rocket Ride.
"Richard Mandella doesn't run horses in races for the fun of it," Baffert said. "And (his jockey) Mike Smith—I was probably watching Mike Smith more than I was watching my horse."
The question was, which way would Smith go, inside or outside of Arabian Knight?
"I thought about staying inside all the way," Smith said. "But then I was afraid I might get stuck down there by the winner."
GEAUX ROCKET RIDE under Mike Smith came up just short in the @FanDuel Racing Pacific Classic (GI). Mike Smith is with @BritneyEurton to talk about the trip and how this sets the horse up going forward.
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Smith elected to take Geaux Rocket Ride to the outside of Arabian Knight But before Geaux Rocket Ride challenged Arabian Knight, 4-year-old Slow Down Andy got to within a head of the Baffert runner around the second turn. Arabian Knight had to fend off his older rival and then deal with Geaux Rocket Ride.
"The mile and a quarter I wasn't sure about," Baffert said. "You don't know until they do it. And he got it done, but he got it done with a lot of grit at the end. That was a lot of heart; he dug in."
The two 3-year-olds surged toward the wire together, and Arabian Knight managed to hold off a very determined Geaux Rocket Ride by a neck, stopping the clock in 2:03.19. Slow Down Andy flattened out but held on for third, 1 1/4 lengths behind Geaux Rocket Ride.
"He's a nice horse and he showed it today," said Prat of Arabian Knight. "He was running easily for me all the way around. He's lightly raced and I think this race will only make him better."
The Classic, with its rich purse, made Arabian Knight a millionaire, with a total of $1,244,275 in only four starts. He was a $2.3 million 2-year-old purchase by his owner from the Top Line Sales Consignment to the Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's Spring Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training last year.
He became the first horse to win the Pacific Classic with only three previous starts. Flightline last year won the race with four starts.
A son of Uncle Mo—Borealis Night, by Astrology, bred in Kentucky by Corser Thoroughbreds, Arabian Knight also earned a "Win and You're In" berth to the Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) at Santa Anita. Whether the colt will get a race between the Pacific Classic and the Nov. 4 Breeders' Cup will be decided at a later date.
"We're going to see how much this takes out of him," Baffert said. "It was a tough race, but he didn't look exhausted or anything like that. All of these races are demanding. I'm just enjoying the moment right now."
Baffert marveled at winning a seventh Pacific Classic.
"It's an honor—it's a great race," he said. "I remember the first one (when 3-year-old Best Pal won for trainer Gary Jones in 1991). I was just getting into the business. I watched it on the backside on the trainer's stand by myself because I had to help feed. It was so exciting to watch. I never envisioned that I would be able to win it so many times."
Following General Challenge, Baffert's record includes Richard's Kid in 2009-10, Game On Dude in 2013, Collected in 2017, and Maximum Security in 2020.
