Fierceness overcame a poor start to win the US$1 million Pacific Classic by 3 1/4 lengths at Del Mar on Saturday, beating Preakness and Haskell winner Journalism, who was the 2-5 favourite.
Ridden by John Velazquez, Fierceness ran 1 1/4 miles in 2:01.00. Trainer by Todd Pletcher, the 4-year-old colt shipped in from New York.
Fierceness veered sharply in toward the temporary rail leaving the starting gate.
“I got him out of there, but he overreacted by pulling in the other direction,” Velazquez said. “He got straightened out going into the first turn. I was able to save ground behind the leaders. On the back stretch, he was keen to go on, that’s why I moved between horses going into the turn.”
Journalism was last in the seven-horse field before rallying in the stretch but couldn’t catch the winner.
