The $300,000 San Diego Handicap for 3-year-olds and older was moved to opening weekend for 2026 and serves as the co-feature of Saturday’s card at Del Mar along with the $200,000 San Clemente Handicap, a one-mile turf race for 3-year-old fillies. Winning the Grade 2 San Diego Handicap would qualify as a valuable addition to any resume, and the race also serves as the local prep for Del Mar’s signature race, the $1 million Pacific Classic Stakes on Aug. 22.

1. Mc Vay: This is a tough spot for a 5-year-old seeking his first career stakes victory. Mc Vay has placed in a pair of stakes, but he’s unplaced in two tries at Del Mar and winless in three races at this distance. Rallying to round out the trifecta might be his ceiling.

JOCKEY: Hector Berrios; TRAINER: Peter Eurton

2. Mirahmadi: He makes his first start since setting the pace and fading late when second to Nysos in last year’s San Diego Handicap. The extended layoff of nearly a year is a significant concern for the probable pacesetter, but Mirahmadi has trained well in preparation for the race and Baffert wins at 24% with horses making their first start in 180 days or more.

JOCKEY: Juan Hernandez; TRAINER: Bob Baffert

3. Shea Brennan: Versatile multiple stakes-winning 4-year-old has won while setting the pace, stalking, and closing. His two stakes wins to date came at one mile and he finished first but was disqualified and placed second in the 2025 Cal Cup Derby at this distance. Tries a graded stakes for the first time off a career-best win in the Bertrando Stakes June 26 and has only finished out of the top three once in 11 starts. Could surprise.

JOCKEY: Armando Ayuso; TRAINER: Phil D’Amato

4. Iron Man Cal: Runner-up in the 2024 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf makes the shift from grass to dirt for the first time in his career and profiles as a true wild card. His bullet workouts (fastest at the track and distance) on the dirt at Santa Anita on June 28 and July 4 catch the eye, but he’s not racing against a stopwatch here. Has some merit as possible value play.

JOCKEY: Antonio Fresu; TRAINER: Phil D’Amato

Journalism (Jon Putman/Eclipse Sportswire)

5. Journalism: Won the Santa Anita Derby, Preakness Stakes, and NYRA Bets Haskell Stakes in 2025, but has not won in four starts since then while facing some of the best horses in the world, including thirds this year in the Grade 2 Oaklawn Handicap and Grade 1 Hill ‘N’ Dale Metropilitan Handicap. He’s the fastest, most accomplished horse on paper and he’s 2-for-2 at this distance, but Journalism has not looked as formidable as he did in 2025 and the price will be awfully short.

JOCKEY: Umberto Rispoli; TRAINER: Michael McCarthy

6. Full Serrano: The 2024 FanDuel Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile presented by PDJF winner loves the main track at Del Mar, where he has three wins from five career starts. Posted a bullet workout July 12 in preparation for this race, however, he’s been a cut below his best in his last three starts and it’s fair to wonder if he might have taken a slight step backward as a 7-year-old. Dangerous at his best.

JOCKEY: Joel Rosario; TRAINER: John Sadler

7. The Goat: Came to the U.S. after winning four straight races in his native Chile and finished fourth in the Grade 3 Triple Bend Stakes May 31 at Santa Anita in his first race in more than 17 months. He should improve off that start, he’s worked well since the Triple Bend, and he won Group 1 races at 1 3/16 miles and 1 3/8 miles in Chile. Intriguing.

JOCKEY: Emisael Jaramillo; TRAINER: John Sadler

THE PICK: Journalism

LIVE LONGSHOT: Shea Brennan

SUPERFECTA: 5-2-3-7