2025 San Diego Handicap at a Glance

Racing
San Diego Handicap, Del Mar, Midnight Mammoth, Nysos, Mirahmadi, Express Train, Hall of Fame, Tarantino, Judge Miller, Bob Baffert, jockey, trainer, Flavien Prat, John Shirreffs, Mike Smith, Michael McCarthy, Kazushi Kimura, horse racing, ABR
Horses break from the starting gate on opening day, July 18, of Del Mar’s 2025 meet. (Eclipse Sportswire)

Saturday’s Grade 2 San Diego Handicap is a key summer race in the older male division and the local prep race for Del Mar’s signature race, the $1 million FanDuel Pacific Classic Stakes on Aug. 30.

The San Diego Handicap is one of the few two-turn dirt stakes races in Southern California that Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert has not dominated. Baffert has won the race twice with Fed Biz in 2014 and Maximum Security in 2020 and will saddle two colts in this year’s edition, including one who figures to be the strong favorite in 4-year-old Nysos.

san diego handicap

Racetrack: Del Mar Thoroughbred Club, Del Mar, Calif.

Date: July 26

Purse: $300,000

Distance: 1 1/16 miles

Race: 8

Post time: 8:30 p.m. ET

Notable winners: Senor Buscador (2023), Maximum Security (2020), Catalina Cruiser (2018, 2019), Accelerate (2017), California Chrome (2016), Dakota Phone (2010), Well Armed (2008), Giacomo (2006), Choctaw Nation (2004, 2005), Skimming (2000, 2001), Skywalker (1986), Wickerr (1982), Kennedy Road (1973), Native Diver (1963, 1964, 1965), Eddie Schmidt (1957, 1960), Prevaricator (1948, 1949).

First held: 1937

1. Midnight Mammoth (12-1 morning-line odds): Midnight Mammoth figures to be prominent early either on or just off the pace. He enters off a runner-up finish, beaten by three-quarters of a length, in the Grade 2 Hollywood Gold Cup Stakes. Started the year slowly but comes into the San Diego off back-to-back quality starts.

JOCKEY: Armando Ayuso; TRAINER: Craig Dollase

2. Nysos (3-5): Emerged as a top 3-year-old in 2024 with an eye on big spring races before he was sidelined with an injury. Finished second by a neck to Mindframe, one of the best older males in training, in a Grade 1 race May 3, 2025, at Churchill Downs in his first start in 15 months. He dominated in his second race in 2025, winning the Triple Bend Stakes by 5 ½ lengths while earning an eye-catching 117 Equibase Speed Figure. The one to beat.

JOCKEY: Flavien Prat; TRAINER: Bob Baffert

3. Mirahmadi (8-1): Does his best running on the pace and should be sent to the front in a bid to lead the field as far as he can. Enters off a front-running win that generated his best career Equibase Speed Figure (109), but class is a concern. Although he was Grade 1-placed at 2 in 2023, Mirahmadi has been soundly defeated in more recent stakes starts in November 2024 and March 2025. 

JOCKEY: Juan Hernandez; TRAINER: Bob Baffert

4. Express Train (5-1): Eight-year-old won this race in 2021 and finished third in the San Diego last summer at Del Mar. Second in both of his starts this year against elite Southern California competition, Express Train returns to his best surface and distance for his third start of the year.

JOCKEY: Mike Smith; TRAINER: John Shirreffs

5. Hall of Fame (6-1): Opened the year with back-to-back wins, including his first stakes win in the Grade 3 Mineshaft Stakes Presented by Relyne GI By Hagyard. He has not won in three subsequent stakes races but ran well in all three with a pair of top-three finishes and Equibase Speed Figures ranging from 108 to 115. A major player.

JOCKEY: Kazushi Kimura; TRAINER: Michael McCarthy

6. Tarantino (20-1): He’s finished in the top three eight times against stakes competition but is still seeking his first stakes win. Posted a trio of seconds and one third in four graded stakes from November 2024 through the Essex Handicap in March, but he was well-beaten in his two most recent races. On the bright side, this is probably his best distance. One of these days …

JOCKEY: Edwin Maldonado; TRAINER: Peter Eurton

7. Judge Miller (8-1): Twice graded stakes-placed as a 4-year-old in 2024, he started the year off with an impressive allowance win in Southern California before a disappointing sixth in his return to stakes competition June 29 at Churchill Downs. Stretching back out to two turns could be a boost and he should improve in his third start of the year.

JOCKEY: Antonio Fresu; TRAINER: Mark Glatt

THE PICK: Nysos

LIVE LONGSHOT: Midnight Mammoth

SUPERFECTA: 2-5-1-4

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