Iron Man Cal earned his spot in the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile (G1) by wiring the Pat O’Brien (G2), and Graham Motion’s shipper Test Score booked his Turf (G1) ticket in the Del Mar H. (G2).

Dr. Venkman has been unplaced in both starts this year but has a history of finding his better self in the $250,000 Pat O’Brien (G2), one of two Breeders’ Cup Challenge preps at Del Mar on Saturday.

Pacific Classic Day features two other Breeders’ Cup Challenge events, the Del Mar H. (G2) and Green Flash H. (G3), plus the Del Mar Mile (G2) and Torrey Pines (G3).

Odds-on favorite Formidable Man extended his local mark over the Del Mar turf course to a perfect 5-for-5 in Sunday’s Eddie Read (G2).

The adjective in his name fits Formidable Man, who figures to be a shorter price than usual in search of his fourth career graded stakes triumph Monday in the $300,000 Shoemaker Mile (G1) at Santa Anita.

Flavien Prat has made it a habit to break records in 2024, and the jockey turned in his latest rewrite of history during Thursday’s opening-day festivities at Santa Anita.

After dangling a few high-profile comeback options for Muth over the summer, Bob Baffert ultimately settled on Sunday’s Shared Belief S. at Del Mar.