won its last three games after losing to No. 8 Arizona and top-ranked Kentucky, in the process throwing a talented freshman class into the fire.Freshman Miles Bridges is the teams leading scorer at more than 17 points per

DEL MAR, Calif. -- Combine a Kentucky Derby winner, the first- and third-place finishers from the Dubai World Cup, two winners of the Santa Anita Derby, runners who have won five Eclipse Awards, two Breeders Cup races, a Horse of the Year title, and 19 Grade 1 races, plus the only female winner of the Pacific Classic, and what do you have?The race of the year.Beholder, California Chrome, and Dortmund form the white-hot core of the Grade 1, $1 million Pacific Classic on Saturday at Del Mar. In an era when trainers and owners often look for the softest spot, no one connected with these three blinked. Six others, including Hoppertunity, signed up.Its the best race so far this year, said Art Sherman, the trainer of California Chrome, who in March annexed a race worth 10 times as much money in Dubai.I dont know how you could make it much better, said Richard Mandella, the trainer of Beholder. Theres no shortage of good horses in there.The Pacific Classic came out of the gate in 1991 with the likes of Best Pal, that years Kentucky Derby runner-up, and the previous years Derby winner, Unbridled. Cigar came into the 1996 edition riding a 16-race winning streak, including the Dubai World Cup and Breeders Cup Classic.There have been subsequent editions with Kentucky Derby winners, Breeders Cup Classic winners, and Dubai World Cup winners, but in terms of overall accomplishment and current form, Del Mar chief executive Joe Harper can say of this race without exaggeration, I dont think theres been a better lineup since its inception.Theres a first prize of $600,000 at the end of the Pacific Classics 1-1/4 miles, but even more is on the line. The winner gets a fees-paid berth in the Breeders Cup Classic on Nov. 5 at Santa Anita through the Win and Youre In program. And California Chrome will seek to retain his position as the top contender for Horse of the Year, a title he won in 2014, the year he won the Kentucky Derby.California Chrome, who has preferred to do his running from an outside, stalking position, will have to work out a trip from the rail.My horse is better when he has something to run at, Sherman said.California Chrome got that trip in the San Diego Handicap, in which he tracked Dortmund -- to whom he gave five pounds -- before wearing him down. Sherman said he believes California Chrome will move forward off that race, his first in four months.Ive seen a big change in his training, Sherman said. Theres nothing like a race under your belt. Like in Dubai, after he had the prep there, he was a lot different horse.Mandella believes Beholder will raise her game from the Clement L. Hirsch Stakes three weeks ago, when she was upset by Stellar Wind, ending an eight-race winning streak. Beholder earned the fastest Beyer Speed Figure of her career in last years Pacific Classic, and its not like Mandella to take on a challenge like this as a flight of fancy. He watched her closely before committing. If Beholder wasnt giving off every sign that she is going to run big, shed be in the barn.Dortmund, plagued by foot troubles earlier this year, got a career-best figure last time out when he was narrowly defeated by California Chrome while making his first start in eight months.He knew he was in a fight, said trainer Bob Baffert.Dortmund can take it, though. Hes a big, hulking horse, and Baffert has put three works into him since the San Diego. Hes put on 11 pounds since the race, said Baffert, who said Dortmund checked in at 1,343 pounds last weekend.Dortmund has won eight of 11 starts. His three losses have been in races won by American Pharoah and California Chrome, both Derby winners.Baffert also entered the late-running Hoppertunity after being pleased with his work on Monday.A win by anyone else would be a significant upset.Hard Aces comes off a victory in the Grade 3 Cougar II here and nosed out Hoppertunity in the 2015 Gold Cup at Santa Anita.Win the Space was second in this years Grade 1 Gold Cup behind Melatonin and was third last time out in the San Diego to California Chrome and Dortmund.Dalmore, the only 3-year-old in the field, is seeking his third straight win.Imperative is winless in 17 starts since capturing the 2014 Charles Town Classic.War Story has a career-best Beyer Speed Figure of 92 and comes off a win against an allowance field at Thistledown that was so weak that he was 1-20 in the wagering.The Pacific Classic is the ninth race on an 11-race card that begins at 2 p.m. Pacific. It is preceded by the Grade 1, $300,000 Del Mar Oaks for 3-year-old turf fillies, which goes as race 6, and the Grade 2, $250,000 Del Mar Handicap for long-distance grass horses, which goes as race 8.The Pacific Classic is also the final leg of a cross-country pick four that includes the Alabama and Fourstardave from Saratoga and the Del Mar Handicap. Discount NCAA Jerseys . Westbrook has missed 27 games since having a procedure on Dec. 27 to deal with swelling in his injured right knee — the third operation on the knee in nine months. Cheap College Jerseys . Emery skated the length of the ice and fought an unwilling Holtby during the third period of the Flyers 7-0 loss Friday night in Philadelphia. He was given 29 penalty minutes, including a game misconduct. But Emery did not face even a disciplinary hearing with NHL senior vice president of player safety Brendan Shanahan because rules 46. http://www.cheapcollegejerseys.net/ . Reassurance came from Paul Tesori, his caddie and close friend whose newborn son is in intensive care in a Florida hospital. "Paul sent me a text this morning, just told me he loved me and wanted to go out and fight as hard as I would any other day," Simpson said Sunday after doing just that. Cheap Jerseys From China . -- Former San Diego Chargers safety Paul Oliver was found dead at his Atlanta-area home Tuesday night, and a medical examiner said Wednesday that the ex-player committed suicide. College Jerseys Outlet . If ever they start actually putting pictures beside words in the dictionary, the Blue Jays left-handers mug will appear beside “Consistency. Judging by the first 32 minutes of each of their first round games Wednesday in the Battle 4 Atlantis tournament, it seemed No. 24 Michigan State and No. 20 Baylor were destined for a second-day matchup in the consolation bracket and not the semifinals.Baylor was mired in a tie with 8:38 remaining against VCU, while Michigan State led St. Johns only 55-53 with 8:22 left.But the Bears and Spartans showed why they are ranked and two of the tournament-title contenders from that point on, taking over to win going away and setting up what was the expected semifinal matchup going into the tournament.There wont be much time for either team to recover at Thursdays semifinal begins at noon ET.I thought in the first half when we were turning the ball over and they were doing a great job taking us out on offense, especially the last 10 minutes of the game of the first half, we were able to come in the locker room and players showed great leadership and poise to be able to regroup and only have five turnovers in the second half, Baylor coach Scott Drew said. I thought that was outstanding, especially with the pressure they put on.As was the case for the Bears in their first four games, they were led Wednesday by the three-headed monster of junior forward Johnathan Motley (19 points), junior guard Manu Lecomte (16 points) and junior guard Al Freeman (15 points).Lecomte and Motlley average more than 16 points, while Freeman averages better than 14.ddddddddddddMichigan State (3-2) won its last three games after losing to No. 8 Arizona and top-ranked Kentucky, in the process throwing a talented freshman class into the fire.Freshman Miles Bridges is the teams leading scorer at more than 17 points per game and rebounder at better than 10 and freshman big man Nick Ward had nine points and 11 rebounds against St. Johns, while point guard Cassius Winston and guard Josh Langford have also seen significant minutes.Senior guard Eron Harris started to come on over the past two games, scoring 31 points against Florida Gulf Coast on Sunday and adding 14 points and seven rebounds against St. Johns.While the Bears tipped off at 2:30 p.m. ET on Wednesday, the preparation time is even worse for the Spartans, whose game didnt end until after 9 p.m. ET on Wednesday.Its disappointing, if you want the truth, Michigan State coach Tom Izzo said of the short turnaround during his postgame show on the Spartan Sports Network. Its almost insane. Its not right. I dont want to rip anybody here, but Im concerned. Especially when the other team had four or five more hours to prepare for us. But it is what it is and we will go play the game. ' ' '