Saturday’s afternoon card at Del Mar is stacked. The 11-race card features big fields, four graded stakes races, and is topped by the Grade 1, $1 million Pacific Classic Stakes. The signature race of the year at the seaside track has attracted a deep field of 11 going 1 ¼ miles, and is topped by the speedy Knightsbridge, who is drawn to the far outside.

The Godolphin color bearer is just one of the vulnerable favorites I will look to beat in the loaded card. Catching a price in one or more of these races is the key to turning a good day of betting into an excellent one. Read on as I highlight my favorite longshots and value plays from Pacific Classic day at Del Mar.

Race #5, $200,000 Green Flash Handicap Presented by Longines, five furlongs, turf, 7:00 p.m. ET

#1 Monster: It’s not easy going against Motorious in this one, as he has won the Green Flash in each of the last three years. The 8-year-old gelding certainly could win again, but at low odds I am going to try to beat him this year. In this one, I will be playing the speed.

Trained by Jose D’Angelo, Monster is the only 3-year-old in the field of 10. Because of this, he will get a nice weight break on Saturday. He is also the quickest horse in the race. Early speed is the name of his game, and he appears to be coming into this test in his best form. Most recently, the Leinster colt set the pace at Saratoga before succumbing late in the Grade 3 Quick Call Stakes Presented by the Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation. Beaten by only a neck there, he will shorten up a sixteenth of a mile in this one.

Drawn on the rail, I have no doubt that veteran rider Emisael Jaramillo will let Monster fly right to the early lead. From there it will be a matter of how far he can go. At the five- furlong distance, I expect him to be tough to catch. I also expect attractive odds for the young colt making his first start in California.

Race #10, $1 million Pacific Classic Stakes, 1 1/4 miles, dirt, 9:30 p.m. ET

#6 Original Sin (15-1 morning-line odds): The biggest race of the card could also be the best betting opportunity of the entire day. Knightsbridge is 5-2 on the morning line but I believe he will be even lower at post time. Coming off an eye-catching romp in the Monmouth Cup Stakes, the speedy 5-year-old by Nyquist is dangerous but ripe for an upset as he makes his first start on the West Coast and at the demanding 1 1/4-mile distance. Throw in plenty of other early speed and I believe the Pacific Classic is a great opportunity to play for an upset.

Original Sin a live longshot for Pacific Classic (Coady Media)

I looked for horses who can come from off the pace in this one and one of them is Original Sin. His odds will be high because of his poor last race, but you don’t have to look far to see some very good races for the Curlin colt. Trained by Brendan Walsh, he has won 3-of-5 this year. Two starts back, he was a game winner of the Grade 3 Blame Stakes against a solid field at Churchill Downs. That field included the Grade 1 winner Hit Show, who is another horse I like in the Pacific Classic. The pedigree of Original Sin suggests the distance will be well within his scope if he runs his race.

Finally, my top longshot will add J.J. Hernandez as his jockey on Saturday. Del Mar’s leading rider is winning at better than 25% so far this meet. With a bounce-back performance expected, I will use Original Sin liberally on my tickets. Bet him to win, use him in the exotics, and include him in multi-race wagers. Let’s get a big score in the biggest race of the year at Del Mar.

Race #11, $300,000 Del Mar Mile Stakes, one mile, turf, 10:00 p.m. ET

#5 Detain: This should be another race with a lively early pace, opening the door for the late runners to finish fast on the Del Mar turf. Detain has made two starts since joining the barn of top trainer Michael McCarthy. Before arriving from Europe, the Wootton Bassett colt had several strong runs overseas against top competition. I especially like his races at one mile, the distance of this race.

With several logical horses to attract betting support in this Grade 2 affair, I am hoping for a good price on the Irish-bred. Although it came against optional-claiming competition, I like what I’ve seen from the 4-year-old in his first two starts in America. The Juddmonte runner finished with a flourish in both races while facing some pretty tough customers. He should fit in with this group quite well.

Detain will not have the big odds of Original Sin, but in a wide-open edition of the Del Mar Mile, I look for square odds on a horse making his stakes debut in the United States. With a solid pace setup, I like him best to pick up the pieces and close out this strong Pacific Classic day card with a winner.