2016 Pacific Classic Betting Preview

One of the most widely-anticipated match-ups in American thoroughbred racing is set to unfold this weekend as the current world's richest racehorse California Chrome takes on one of the world's best mares in Beholder. Beholder ranks as one of the most popular female runners of the modern era but there are few who match the devoted faithful fans that California Chrome has backing him and you have to wonder whether one of the outside contenders might just be able to string together something magical for this one?

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California Chrome has drawn the rail for this race and that's not exactly his preferred position so it's not an enormous surprise to see that his odds are a bit longer than many others had originally expected them to be.

At the time of this writing the ante post markets have California Chrome trading at a competitive price of about 6/4 which is likely to be a bit higher than many will be getting in the American pari-mutuel pools. The Dubai World Cup winner is looking to make a big statement and his trainer Art Sherman would love to add this one to his tally in his backyard of southern California.

Beholder enters the betting with a price as high as a 3/1 margin and if you watch replays of how she won the race last year you would consider that to be an absolute margin. The six-year-old mare seems to float over the Del Mar surface like none other and she has the turn of foot and tactical speed to hang tough with any horse in the world at between a mile and a quarter and a mile and an eighth. She has every chance here but pay attention to her pre-race appearance as well.

Dortmund trades at a 3/1 best price and there are a few who think he's more than worth a play here. The physically imposing Bob Baffert trainee has a lot to like about him and if he can get the right type of set-up then he's in good shape to get a result here. There is a chance that the top two contenders take each other out of the race at some point and Dortmund picks up the pieces.

Another Baffert trainee, Hoppertunity trades at 14/1 while Hard Aces can be backed at 25/1. Southerhn California runner Win The Space is in the mix at 28/1 while Dalmore can be backed at 40s alongside Imperative. War Story trades as high as 100/1.