DEL MAR, Calif. (AP) - Mike Smith has climbed aboard Richard's Kid just twice. Both times proved lucrative, with the 5-year-old winning the $1 million Pacific Classic for the second straight year.

Richard's Kid outran Crowded House by three-quarters of a length to win the West's richest race Saturday at Del Mar.

``I just want to ride him once a year,'' Smith said, laughing.

Typically, a jockey exercises the horses he rides in afternoon stakes races in the mornings. But Smith had never been on Richard's Kid before winning last year's Classic. In the horse's six starts since then, he'd been ridden by three others.

So how did Smith regain the mount? He credited the wife of trainer Bob Baffert.

``Jill did it for me,'' he said. ``She redecorated my house and went way overbudget, so she was feeling guilty and got Bob to put me on.''

Baffert wasn't on hand to celebrate his four-win day. He was back East at Saratoga, where he saddled Rapport to win The Victory Ride. He also won the Grade 1 Pat O'Brien Stakes at Del Mar with El Brujo, along with the seventh race. His cell phone wasn't working, so he wasn't available for comment.

Baffert openly dislikes Del Mar's synthetic Polytrack surface.

``Think he's smiling now?'' a grinning Smith said.

Richard's Kid covered 1 1/4 miles in 2:03.27, and joined Skimming (2000-01) and Tinners Way (1994-95) as the third horse to win the Pacific Classic twice. He earned $600,000, of which Smith will receive $60,000.

Fellow Hall of Famers Smith and Baffert each won the Classic for the third time.

Three weeks ago, Smith guided Zenyatta to her 18th consecutive victory without a loss in the Clement L. Hirsch.

``To win these two races, it made my meet,'' he said.

Crowded House returned $10.60 and $6.40, while Dakota Phone was another half-length back in third and paid $4.80 to show.

``For a moment or two there, I thought it was going to be a dream. I thought we were going to get it,'' said Ben Cecil, who trains Crowded House. ``But then reality stepped back in.''

The Usual Q.T. finished fifth as the 5-2 favorite.

``I wish he hadn't moved so soon,'' trainer Jim Cassidy said. ``You can't move too early, it's not the grass.''

Awesome Gem was last in the field of 10 in his record fourth bid to win.

Richard's Kid had just one horse beat going down the backside. But Isle of Giant's was setting a slow pace up front, and Richard's Kid has a stretch-running style.

The same tactics worked last year. Richard's Kid came from next-to-last and passed Einstein in the final few jumps to win by a neck.

``This was a lot like last year,'' Smith said.

This year, Richard's Kid paid $11.60, $5.60 and $3.80 at 9-2 odds in front of 23,678 at the seaside track north of San Diego. A year ago, he and Smith won at 24-1, third-biggest upset in the race's 20-year history.

After winning last year's Classic for owner Arnold Zetcher, Richard's Kid was sold to Zabeel Racing International Corp., the racing operation of Sheikh Rashid bin Mohammed al Maktoum. He is the oldest son of Sheikh Mohammed al Maktoum, the ruler of Dubai who owns racing giants Darley and Godolphin stables.

Richard's Kid earned an automatic spot in the $5 million Breeders' Cup Classic at Churchill Downs on Nov. 6.

``We'll leave that up to Bob,'' said Omar Trevino, al Maktoum's racing manager.

Asked who he would be riding in the BC Classic, a smiling Smith said, ``Zenyatta.'' She beat the boys to win last year.

Richard's Kid won the San Antonio Handicap at Santa Anita on Feb. 7 in his debut for his new owner, then finished seventh in the $10 million Dubai World Cup. He came into the Classic off consecutive third-place finishes in two stakes.

In the O'Brien, El Brujo gave Baffert his fourth winner, leading all the way to defeat Crown of Thorns by a half-length. He ran seven furlongs in 1:21.70 under Joel Rosario and paid $9.60, $3.80 and $2.80. El Brujo earned an automatic berth in the BC Sprint.

Crown of Thorns returned $3.40 and $2.40, while 6-5 favorite Smiling Tiger was another 4 1/4 lengths back in third and paid $2.20 to show.

Enriched led all the way in winning the $190,000 Del Mar Mile by three-quarters of a length to earn a spot in the BC Mile.

Ridden by Joel Rosario, Enriched ran one mile on the Jimmy Durante turf course in 1:34.83 and paid $6.40, $3.80 and $2.60 as the 2-1 favorite in the field of seven.

``I've ridden this horse before and I know how good he is,'' Rosario said. ``He broke really well and I wasn't going to hold him back. Then when we turned for home he went perfect.''

The 5-year-old gelding is a half-brother to retired Lava Man, thoroughbred racing's richest claiming horse. Enriched was claimed in November for $32,000 by trainer Doug O'Neill, who oversaw Lava Man. Since then, he's earned $340,676.

Meteore returned $6.20 and $3.20, while Bruce's Dream was another neck back in third and paid $2.60 to show.