Dr. Venkman © Benoit Photo
Alipony Racing, Agnew or Bunch, et al’s Dr. Venkman took advantage of a hot early pace Saturday and closed nicely late to come away a half-length winner in the $250,500 Pat O’Brien Stakes at Del Mar.
The seven-furlong, Grade II testing, which finished up in 1:21.53, saw closers run 1, 2 and 3 in the six-horse field after stablemates Speed Boat Beach and Maymun cut out rapid early splits, then backed up late.
Finishing second was Eric and Sharon Waller’s Stronghold and third, another half length back, was C R K Stable’s veteran Express Train.
The winner is trained by Mark Glatt and was ridden by Umberto Rispoli. He paid $7.40 to his backers in the Saturday crowd.
Earlier in the day three scheduled O’Brien starters – Awesome Rhythm, Tapato and Man O Rose -- all withdrew from the dash. That cut the field down to six runners and one of them, Kristine Chandler’s Spirit of Makena, failed to finish the course.
Dr. Venkman, a 5-year-old gelding by Ghostzapper, earned a first prize of $150,000 to increase his winnings to $661,300 with his second stakes score and fourth victory overall in his 10th lifetime start. Additionally, the bay veteran earned a free ticket to the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile via the “Win and You’re In” conditions of the race put on by the Breeders’ Cup people. The $1-million BC Dirt Mile will be run at Del Mar on Saturday, November 1.
Racing will resume at Del Mar on Sunday with a first post of 2 p.m.
UMBERTO RISPOLI (Dr. Venkman, winner) -- “Seems at the break Speed Boat Beach kept drifting out, and you know, having a one-on-one can be tricky. But sometimes it can be a help, in this case, he’s a smart horse, he’s a fighter. He knows how to run his races. I just kept him on the fence, just looking ahead of me, looking to see a horse on the rail. No one wanted to be there, so at that point I saw that, that was going to be my gap. That is the spot where you get the momentum. Every time he runs he runs with his heart, he can run a mile or a sprint. This horse can be versatile.”
MARK GLATT (Dr. Venkman, winner) – “With the late scratches and the leaders floated off the rail a little bit, it didn’t ever get tight. Umberto (Rispoli) rode a very patient ride and when it opened up he was able to get through. When he made the lead he started to pull himself up, so maybe a little anxious there late.”
FRACTIONS: :22.53 :44.87 1:08.83 1:21.53
The stakes win was the fourth of the meet for rider Rispoli, but his first in the Pat O’Brien. He now has 39 firsts at Del Mar.
The stakes win was the first of the meet for trainer Glatt and his first in the Pat O’Brine. He now has 18 stakes wins at Del Mar.
The winning ownership group – Alipony Racing, Agnew or Bunch, et al is headed by Mark Cohen of Los Angeles.