Mixto springs 22-1 Pacific Classic upset

Longshots reigned supreme in Saturday’s $1,001,500 Pacific Classic (G1) racing 1 1/4 miles over the Del Mar main track, with 22-1 Mixto edging 7-1 Full Serrano in narrow fashion.

The scratch of morning-line favorite Adare Manor, who tied up after training Thursday, left the Pacific Classic with a seven-horse field. San Diego H. (G2) winner Dr. Venkman emerged as the 11-10 choice, but the four-year-old gelding faltered in his first start beyond 1 1/16 miles, finishing a nonthreatening fourth.

In the meantime, speed dominated. Full Serrano, an Argentine-bred coming off a $40,000 allowance optional claiming win at Del Mar, set fractions of :23.42, :46.95, and 1:11.62 while closely pursued by Mixto. Reincarnate and Dr. Venkman tried to launch challenges turning for home, but the leaders had too much left in the tank. Under encouragement from jockey Kyle Frey, Mixto edged past Full Serrano to prevail by half a length in 2:02.10.

"The original plan was for me to go to the front,” said Frey. “But in the paddock I asked Doug (O'Neill, trainer of Mixto), I said, 'If somebody goes crazy in there, are you OK with me taking a hold?' He said, ' Sure.' So he was OK with Plan A and Plan B. He came running for me. So sweet. This is a tribute to the glory of God. This is the biggest day of racing in my career. No doubt."

Reincarnate fought gamely for third place, half a length by Full Serrano and two lengths clear of Dr. Venkman. There Goes Harvard, None Above the Law, Katonah, and Il Miracolo completed the order of finish.

The Pacific Classic marked a career-best performance from Mixto. While he’d placed three times at the graded stakes level, Mixto’s 1-for-13 lifetime record included a fifth in the 2024 Santa Anita H. (G1) and a sixth in the 2022 Del Mar Futurity (G1), his only previous Grade 1 forays. He entered the Pacific Classic off a runner-up finish in the Pleasanton Mile S. at Pleasanton.

“Kyle had Mixto in the perfect spot and he just ran lights out,” said O’Neill. “He gave us a few hints of being a special horse, but today he really validated the horse he is. When you look at his PPs, he's run in a lot of different places and he's always been surrounding them, and today it just unfolded perfectly and Kyle Frey just rode a perfect race."

Bred by Farfellow Farms, Mixto was purchased for $140,000 as a two-year-old in training by Calumet Farm. His career tally stands at 14-2-2-4. In addition to the $600,000 winner’s share of the Pacific Classic purse (which boosted his career earnings to $782,180), Mixto earned a “Win and You’re In” berth to the Nov. 2 Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) at Del Mar.