Rare is a horse so talented and durable that they can win the same graded stakes four years in a row. It had never been done at Del Mar until Gold Phoenix joined the elusive four-peat club with his triumph in Saturday’s $300,000 Del Mar H. (G2) on Pacific Classic (G1) day at Del Mar.

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).

The Pacific Classic (G1) isn’t the only Breeders’ Cup “Win and You’re In” at Del Mar on Saturday. Two of the four undercard stakes are also part of the Breeders’ Cup Challenge program.

The Pacific Classic (G1) may have been the feature race on Saturday’s action-packed card at Del Mar, but the seaside oval hosted four other graded stakes for good measure.

After waiting 10 months to return to action in Sunday’s Green Flash H. (G3), Lieutenant Dan then had to wait a bit longer for room on the far turn at Del Mar.

Unraced since chasing home Golden Pal in last November’s Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint (G1), Lieutenant Dan resurfaces as the defending champion in Sunday’s Green Flash H. (G3) at Del Mar.

Del Mar staged two major stakes for three-year-old fillies on Pacific Classic Day, and jockey Flavien Prat won both aboard favorites.

After narrowly winning his first outing for Bob Baffert, Maximum Security will make his second start back from a layoff in Saturday’s $500,000 Pacific Classic (G1) at Del Mar.