The single-day handle mark at Del Mar fell Saturday as California Chrome was the star of the show in pulling off a smashing performance in front of 24,155 in the 26th running of the TVG Pacific Classic.

 

Total handle for the day from all sources was $25,060,204, which eclipsed the previous standard of $24,667,351 established on Pacific Classic Day in 2007.

 

In addition to the overall betting mark falling, the track also saw a record tumble for most money bet in a Pick Four pool.  The new standard was set at $1,443,421, surpassing the previous high of $1,310,045 set on August 22, 2015, also Pacific Classic Day.

 

The track further produced five winning Pick Six tickets, each worth $104,655.  Two of those winning tickets were in the crowd at Del Mar. The total Pick Six pool was $770,683. 

 

California Chrome was the star of the day, easily beating a stellar field under Victor Espinoza by five lengths in 2:00.13 for the mile and a quarter. He earned $600,000 from the $1-million purse and added to his richest-horse-in-North-American history mark, which now stands at $13,252,650.