When Fierceness swerved toward the inside rail after breaking smartly in the Aug. 30 Pacific Classic Stakes (G1), trainer Todd Pletcher, watching from Saratoga Springs, N.Y., and assistant trainer Sophie Green at Del Mar had to be worried.
"I wasn't very happy—I was very concerned when he did that," Pletcher said.
Green admitted that she thought "a little bit" that the race might be over for them.
Fortunately, neither had to worry for long. Fierceness and his jockey, John Velazquez, are both consummate pros. Fierceness recovered quickly, with the help of his rider.
"I got him out of there, but he overreacted by pulling in the other direction," Velazquez said. "I wanted to stay off his mouth, so I had to sit on him a little. But he got straightened out going into the first turn."
Meanwhile, 3-year-old Journalism, the 2-5 favorite for the 1 1/4-mile race, came away last of the seven after bumping with a horse inside of him leaving the gate. Tarantino, at 72-1, took the lead, followed by 35-1 Midnight Mammoth and Lure Him In, the longest shot of the field at 96-1.
The crowd of 13,432 expected to see a virtual match race between local hero Journalism and East Coast invader Fierceness. Initially, the Pacific Classic was supposed to be a three-horse race, with Nysos set to go against Journalism and Fierceness. But trainer Bob Baffert scratched Nysos the morning of the race because of bruising in a hind foot.
Instead, it looked as if longshots might dictate the race. But that didn't take into account the talent of Fierceness and Journalism. The match would come; it would just take a while.
Fierceness often sets the pace or sits just off of it. This time he was tucked into fourth on the rail.
"We got bottled up in behind horses; it looked like he was trapped," Pletcher said. "I was concerned that he was a little headstrong. I thought Johnny made a great decision when he split horses and let him make his move a little bit early."
That occurred approaching the second turn, as Velazquez explained, "because he was so keen." Fierceness took the lead, but the race was far from over because Journalism was beginning his run. Journalism passed the others and took aim at Fierceness in the stretch.
By then, Fierceness had built up a daylight lead, leaving Journalism with plenty of work. The younger rival never gave up, but it simply was too much to ask. Fierceness wasn't about to quit, and he didn't, ultimately expanding his lead to 3 1/4 lengths at the wire in a time of 2:01.
Journalism was much the best of the others, with a 6 1/2-length margin over third-place Ultimate Gamble.
With the Pacific Classic a Breeders Cup Challenge Series: Win and You're In event, Fierceness earned an automatic, fees-paid berth to the Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) with the victory. The Pacific Classic mirrors the distance and surface of the Breeders' Cup, which will be conducted at Del Mar Nov. 1. Last year, when the Breeders' Cup was also held at Del Mar, Fierceness finished second to Sierra Leone, who caught him in the stretch.
"We felt like when he ran at Del Mar in the Breeders' Cup Classic that he ran a winning race," Pletcher said. "He just was involved in fractions that were a little too fast and couldn't sustain it at that distance. But we felt that he liked the surface."
Fierceness races for Derrick Smith, Mike Repole's Repole Stable, Michael Tabor, and Mrs. John Magnier. Pletcher watched the race with Repole at Repole's home in Saratoga Springs. Fierceness, who most recently finished fifth in the Aug. 2 Whitney Stakes (G1), could have remained at Saratoga for the Aug. 31 Jockey Club Gold Cup Stakes (G1). But his connections decided to ship him to Del Mar.
"We just felt like his last two breezes since the Whitney had been excellent," Pletcher said. "We felt like he was doing really well, and it was the right time to take a shot to go out there."
Pletcher said that they thought the timing of the Pacific Classic was better than waiting for the late September Breeders' Cup preps at Santa Anita Park. The plan now calls for Fierceness to ship back to New York Sept. 3, where Pletcher's team will prepare him for the Breeders' Cup, most likely without another race.
Fierceness won for the seventh time in 13 starts, raising his lifetime earnings to $5,155,320. Repole Stable bred the 4-year-old in Kentucky from the Stay Thirsty mare Nonna Bella.
Fierceness was the second son of City of Light to win a graded stakes at Del Mar Aug. 30, following Formidable Man in the Del Mar Mile Stakes (G2T). Benedetta, Blue Light, and Rich City Girl are also 2025 stakes winners by the stallion, who stood the 2025 season for $35,000 at Lane's End near Versailles, Ky.
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