Full Serrano works his way into Pacific Classic
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DEL MAR, Calif. – Full Serrano has worked his way into Saturday’s Grade 1 Pacific Classic at Del Mar.
Full Serrano, a 5-year-old Argentine-bred horse, won his American debut in an allowance race at a mile at Del Mar on Aug. 3. In recent weeks, trainer John Sadler was hesitant to commit Full Serrano to the $1 million Pacific Classic until he watched a series of three workouts, including six furlongs in 1:11.40 last Saturday.
Over the weekend, Sadler said Full Serrano has done enough to merit a start in the track’s signature race of the summer meeting.
“He’s had three good works since his race,” Sadler said.
The Pacific Classic field is expected to include such runners as Dr. Venkman and Katonah, the first two finishers of the Grade 2 San Diego Handicap at Del Mar on July 27; and possibly the mare Adare Manor, the winner of the Grade 1 Clement Hirsch Stakes for fillies and mares at Del Mar on Oct. 3.
Trainer Bob Baffert said in a text message on Monday that he plans to start Reincarnate, but did not commit to running Adare Manor. Reincarnate was second to Pacific Classic hopeful Midnight Mammoth in the Grade 3 Cougar II Stakes at 1 1/2 miles on July 25.
Full Serrano, owned by Hronis Racing, has won 5 of 15 starts in a career that began in May 2022. Full Serrano’s four wins in Argentina were a maiden race, two allowance races, and a stakes at 1 1/4 miles on turf.
The Pacific Classic is run at 1 1/4 miles.
“We think he’s a horse for the distance,” Sadler said.
Full Serrano led or disputed the pace throughout his win on Aug. 3. He started from the inside post in a field of 10, zoomed to the front through an opening quarter-mile in 21.58 seconds and won by 2 1/4 lengths.
The winning style was not intended.
“That was the surprise of his first race,” Sadler said. “That was not the plan at all. When he broke running from the one hole at Del Mar, we let him go and he went fast. He shook off the horse running with him.”
Sadler has won four of the last six runnings of the Pacific Classic, most recently with Flightline in 2022. Flightline, co-owned by Hronis, was Horse of the Year that season. Hronis and Sadler won the Pacific Classic with Accelerate in 2018, Higher Power in 2019, and with Tripoli in 2021.
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