Any doubts that Godolphin's homebred Knightsbridge would be able to handle the 1 1/4 miles of the $1,003,000 Grade 1 Pacific Classic Stakes at Del Mar evaporated at the top of the stretch Aug. 22 when jockey Junior Alvarado picked up his reins and gave his horse an encouraging smooch.

"I felt him kind of quicken a little bit more," Alvarado said. "When he did that, I knew he'd already run the horses behind him off their feet. All I needed from there was a little burst to get me to the wire."

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That last little burst was more than enough, as favored Knightsbridge kicked away from the doggedly pursuing Full Serrano to turn the Classic into a procession reminiscent of the one-horse shows displayed by the likes of Beholder, Candy Ride, and California Chrome in past runnings of the track's signature event.

Stopping the clock in 2:02.28, Knightsbridge had 6 1/4 lengths on runner-up Original Sin, while Full Serrano tired late but still had enough to take third ahead of the onrushing filly Om N Joy in fourth. Knightsbridge, a 5-year-old son of Nyquist, won his fourth graded stakes of the year.

As part of the Breeders' Cup Challenge Series, Knightsbridge earned himself an automatic, fees-paid "Win and You're In" berth into the Oct. 31 Longines Breeders' Cup Classic at Keeneland.

Some $29 million was bet on the day's Del Mar program and a crowd of 15,187 witnessed the Classic in person to see Knightsbridge and Full Serrano going after each other past the stands the first time after breaking from the two outside stalls. They ran a half in :45.94 and three-quarters in 1:10.02 before reaching the mile mark in 1:35.66.

"I know he can go that fast, because we'd run him seven-eighths and a mile," trainer Bill Mott said. "Whether they keep going or not is something else.

"Going as fast as they did today, they've got a license to back up," Mott added. "Then he put them away, and the farther they went, the more he opened up."

Junior Alvarado back aboard Knightsbridge. (BENOIT photo)

Alvarado has been the regular partner of Knightsbridge since the spring of 2024, through several stops and starts along the way until the horse emerged this year as a force to be reckoned with in one-turn miles.

"Mr. Mott would keep asking me, 'Can he go two turns? Can he go two turns?'" Alvarado said. "I didn't want to change anything up or tell him he could and be wrong. Then he eventually decided to stretch him out."

The date was July 18 in the Grade 3 Monmouth Cup Stakes at 1 1/8 miles. Alvarado had to watch the race from the Saratoga jocks' room, as Flavien Prat rode Knightsbridge to a 10 1/4-length win good for a 122 Beyer Speed Figure.

"I was tied up at Saratoga with a horse we'd been working on, and Bill needed me there," Alvarado said. "It was also a question mark if he could get two turns, and sometimes when that doesn't work out, the jockey gets the blame."

Alvarado said that last part with a grin, since Mott's loyalty to him has extended in recent years to regular mounts aboard Cody's Wish and Sovereignty, who were each voted Horse of the Year in 2023 and 2025, respectively.

"I wanted to cry," Alvarado said. "That's why Bill is in the Hall of Fame and I'm not."

Or at least not yet.