In high level horse racing, graded stakes offer many things: stud careers, big purses, and prestige. The Grade 2 Pat O’Brien, to be contested today over Del Mar’s dirt course, offers something valuable on top of all of that: a spot in the Breeder’s Cup starting gate.
The O’Brien is named in honor of one of the track’s founders, actor Pat O’Brien. He was a Wisconsin native who trained in the Navy, but never served in WWII. He starred in Knute Rockne, All American, and Some Like It Hot. He had quite the career.
The race itself has been a coronation of many of the west coast’s best sprinters, along with the occasional invader. Last year’s winner, Raging Torrent, didnt’ fare well in the Breeder’s Cup, but did go on to win two Grade 1s this year, and earnings north of a million dollars. He’s since retired; otherwise, I would’ve expected him to try to defend his title here.
The field instead is full of runners with solid bonafides, and a few trying to get into those ranks. Let’s meet the field, and get our weekly wager together. When you wager - be sure to check out our friends at AmWager! Bet all the racing in Southern California with them!
Grade 2 Pat O’Brien. 7 Furlongs, dirt. 3+up. $250,000.
1. Dr. Venkman. 4/1. Jockey: Umberto Rispoli. Trainer: Mark Glatt.
Dr. Venkman is a tough one to handicap, as he should fit well within these conditions. His performances this year through three races have been a mixed bag, with two 2nd place finishes. He most recently tried the Grade 1 Bing Crosby, to no avail. His work before the Crosby looked a lot like his most recent; can he win here? Sure. Today, we’ll be against.
Comment: toss.
2. Speed Boat Beach. 5/2. Jockey: Juan Hernandez. Trainer: Bob Baffert.
Speed Boat Beach - when on his game - is the best of this bunch. The problem? He’s run just once since December of 2023, and that was in March at Churchill. He was up the track in that race, but his works in recent days have been stellar. Trainer Bob Baffert isn’t sending this one out for no reason; he’s a must-include for us.
Comment: include.
3. Spirit of Makena. 20/1. Jockey: Mirco Demuro. Trainer: George Papaprodromou.
Spirit of Makena, like Speed Boat Beach, didn’t race in 2024. He’s run three times this year, to disappointing results. His best result was in March in the Grade 3 Triple Bend, where he finished 3rd; the move to jockey Mirco Demuro doesn’t instill much confidence, either.
Comment: toss.
4. Maymun. 5/1. Jockey: Kazushi Kimura. Trainer: Bob Baffert.
Maymun is 2-for-2 lifetime, both at Santa Anita in 2024. He’s been off since February of 2024, and the information we have to go on is this: he’s working like an absolute monster. Baffert’s stats around runners like this are of course excellent, and I expect him to fire today.
Comment: include.
5. Awesome Rhythm. 20/1. Jockey: Armando Ayuso. Trainer: Victor Garcia.
Awesome Rhythm comes in off back-to-back wins, both at Del Mar. They’re both in sprint races, but at considerably lower competitive levels than this race. He’s got some good speed, and I like the development of rider Armando Ayuso, but this feels like too much of an ask.
Comment: toss.
6. Stronghold. 3/1. Jockey: Antonio Fresu. Trainer: Phil D’Amato.
Stronghold won last year’s Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby, before a solid 7th place finish in the Kentucky Derby. He hasn’t won since the SA Derby, but did show well in the Grade 1 Malibu, a 7 furlong sprint for 3-year-old the day after Christmas. The only horse who beat him? The aforementioned Raging Torrent. I think this could end up being his distance, and hopefully the time off since January has done him well.
Comment: include.
7. Express Train. 12/1. Jockey: Hector Berrios. Trainer: John Shirreffs.
Express Train is the old salt of the field, with almost double the starts of the next highest-ranked contender. He’ll go to the gate for the 27th time today, looking for his 8th career win. This is only his 2nd try at 7 furlongs, but he did finish third in the Kona Gold, a 6 ½ furlong sprint. I think he’s in over his head, but stranger things have happened than him running a big one and getting a nice check.
Comment: toss.
8. Tapalo. 12/1. Jockey: Abel Lezcano. Trainer: John Sadler.
This will be Tapalo’s 2nd start this year, his previous run in an allowance at Del Mar. He wasn’t great in that start, but it was his first back since August of 2024. John Sadler’s horses win at 29% in their second race off this kind of layoff, and Tapalo won the Laz Berrera at this distance. His most recent worked trailed only the two Baffert runners in this race; I think he’s live to hit the board.
Comment: include in exactas, trifectas.
9. Man O Rose. 8/1. Jockey: Edwin Maldonado. Trainer: Jeff Mullins.
Cal-bred Man O Rose faces stiff competition today, but he’s a gamer: he’s won half of his 14 lifetime starts, with 4 coming on dirt and 3 on turf. He’s versatile, and gives good effort each start. He won the Johnston, a blacktype for Cal-breds, at Los Alamitos, showing his ability. This group, however, seems a few notches too tough.
Comment: reluctant toss.
Sporting Tribune Wager:
$.50 Pick 4, starts race 7 ($30): 1 / 1,2,5,8 / 1,2,4,6 / 1,4,5,6,10,(12). Good luck!