The role of favorite for Saturday’s Grade 1 Pacific Classic at Del Mar may not be known until post time. When post positions were drawn Tuesday for the $1 million race, Nysos was made the 8-5 favorite by track linemaker John Lies, with Journalism at 9-5 and Fierceness at 3-1. The trio, all graded stakes winners since the first of May, are expected to dominate the Pacific Classic at 1 1/4 miles. Nysos, the comprehensive winner of the Grade 2 San Diego Handicap by 2 3/4 lengths at 1 1/16 miles on July 26, will start at 1 1/4 miles for the first time for trainer Bob Baffert, who has won the Pacific Classic a record seven times. Journalism, the lone 3-year-old in the field, has won three Grade 1 races this year for trainer Michael McCarthy, including the Preakness Stakes at 1 3/16 miles. Journalism was second as the 3-1 favorite in the Kentucky Derby at 1 1/4 miles on May 3, leading in the stretch before losing by 1 1/2 lengths to division leader Sovereignty. :: Play to Win at Del Mar! Get DRF Past Performances, Clocker Reports, Picks, and Betting Strategies all in one place.  Fierceness, trained by Todd Pletcher, won the Grade 1 Travers Stakes at 1 1/4 miles at Saratoga last August and was later second in the Breeders’ Cup Classic at 1 1/4 miles at Del Mar last November. The winner of Saturday’s Pacific Classic receives a fees-paid berth to the BC Classic on Nov. 1 at Del Mar. There is a strong chance that Fierceness, Journalism, and Nysos will occupy the first three finishing positions Saturday. If one of them runs a subpar race, however, there are five outsiders who could disrupt what would otherwise be low trifecta payout. In post position order from the inside, the field consists of Fierceness, Midnight Mammoth, Ultimate Gamble, Nysos, Indispensable, Journalism, Lure Him In, and Tarantino. The Pacific Classic will be the first start in a Grade 1 for Lure Him In, Tarantino, and Ultimate Gamble, all 20-1 on the morning line. Ultimate Gamble and Lure Him In were second and third in an allowance race at a mile on July 27 at Del Mar and were promoted one position when race winner Arrowthegreat was disqualified for drifting to the outside in the stretch. Arrowthegreat won the $125,000 Longacres Mile at Emerald Downs on Aug. 17. Lure Him In, an 8-year-old gelding, will have his 54th start on Saturday, a contrast to the 4-year-old Nysos, who has six career starts over the last 22 months. Lure Him In has started in seven Grade 2 or Grade 3 races in his career, including a third in the Grade 3 Tokyo City Cup at 1 1/2 miles on dirt at Santa Anita in April 2021 when trained by Bob Hess Jr. Lure Him In has been trained by Sam Wilensky since November, winning 3 of 7 starts in that span, including a $70,000 handicap at 1 1/16 miles on dirt on June 8 at Gulfstream Park. Facing the likes of Journalism and Nysos is a different matter. “It’s a little over his head,” Wilensky said last weekend. “You can try to run third or fourth and have a nice payday.” Midnight Mammoth (12-1) and Indispensable (15-1) have Grade 1 experience. Midnight Mammoth, trained by Craig Dollase, was a well-beaten fourth in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Handicap at 1 1/4 miles in March but was a more encouraging second by three-quarters of a length in the Grade 2 Hollywood Gold Cup at the same distance on May 26 at Santa Anita. Indispensable, trained by John Sadler, was sixth of eight as a 50-1 outsider in the Grade 1 American Pharoah Stakes for 2-year-olds at Santa Anita in October 2023. Indispensable was second or third in three stakes for 3-year-olds at Del Mar, Remington Park, and Zia Park in the second half of 2024. A 4-year-old colt, Indispensable closed from fourth to win an allowance race at a mile on July 19 in a manner that suggests he could do well in his first start at 1 1/4 miles on Saturday. The Pacific Classic is one of five graded stakes on Saturday’s program, which begins at 1:30 p.m. Pacific. There are two Grade 2 turf races worth $300,000 – the Del Mar Handicap at 1 3/8 miles and Del Mar Mile; and two Grade 3 races worth $150,000 – the Green Flash Handicap at five furlongs on turf and Torrey Pines Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at a mile. :: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.