Seeking the Soul favored in field of 10 for Pacific Classic

DEL MAR, Calif. – Seeking the Soul was installed as the lukewarm 3-1 favorite after posts were drawn Tuesday night at a local restaurant for the Grade 1, $1 million Pacific Classic, the biggest race of the meet at Del Mar.

The Pacific Classic drew a field of 10 older horses. It is a 1 1/4-mile race, the same distance as the Breeders’ Cup Classic, for which it offers a fees-paid berth to the victor via the Win and You’re In program.

Del Mar will be the 10th track at which Seeking the Soul has competed in his 28-race career. He is a three-time stakes winner, but all three of those wins have taken place at his home track of Churchill Downs, most recently in his last start, the Grade 2 Stephen Foster on June 15.

John Velazquez, aboard for the Stephen Foster, will travel to Del Mar for the day Saturday for the mount. Seeking the Soul breaks from post 5.

Two of the top three betting choices of Russell Hudak, the linemaker at Del Mar, are shipping in. Quip, winner of the Grade 2 Oaklawn Handicap and second in the Foster, is the third choice at 9-2, with Florent Geroux in for the ride. Pavel, who is based in Southern California but has traveled for his last three starts – most recently a third-place finish in the Grade 2 Suburban – is the second choice at 7-2. They are drawn inside of Seeking the Soul, with Quip in post 2 and Pavel in post 3.

From the rail out, the field is War Story, Quip, Pavel, For the Top, Seeking the Soul, Higher Power, Tenfold, Campaign, Mongolian Groom, and Draft Pick.