Then Dr. Venkman pulled in again, this time for the grade 2 $ 250,000 Pat O’Brien Stakes August 23 in Del Mar, trainer Mark Glatt was not happy, but when the race unfolded, Dr. Venkman a big hole on the rail and shot Gamely for the victory.
“He doesn’t like the inside,” said Glatt. “I am glad he released himself a bit because we thought he might have had to win his last pair of races.”
A Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series event, the Zeven-Furlong O’Brien offered a “victory and you are in” berth in the Big Ass fans Breeders “Cup Dirt Mile.
The Pat O’Brien left with a six-horse field from runners that specialize in a wide range of distances. When the gates opened, 7-5 Favorite Speed Boat Beach and colleague Bob Baffert-Stagee Maymun went into fractions of: 22.53 for the first quarter of miles and: 44.87 for half a mile.
Dr. Venkman was behind the Baffert duo with a stronghold just outside of him. Jockey Umberto Rispoli, however, played a waiting game with Dr. Venkman and the threw are fruit. While the leaders were turning around in the play, Speed Boat Beach drove out and opened a hole that Glatt later gave: “You could have endured a truck.”
Dr. Venkman did not hesitate and flew through the opening to take the command while Speed Boat Beach faded. Dr. Venkman and Rispoli defeated Stronghold and Jockey Antonio Fresu with half a length in 1: 21.53, with an express train ending third followed by Maymun and Speed Boat Beach. Spirit of Makena was in turn drawn.
“Umberto rode a very, very patient ride, and when it opened, he was able to get through,” said Glatt.
Rispoli called Dr. Venkman a smart horse and a hunter.
“He knows how to run his races,” said the jockey. “I just kept him on the fence, just looking for me, looking for a horse on the rail. Nobody wanted to be there, so at that moment I saw that it would be my gap.”
Glatt trains Dr. Venkman for the collaboration of Alipony Racing, Dan Agnew, Clint Bunch and James Hailey. Dr. Venkman has won four of 10 lifetime start, including the San Diego Handicap 2024.
“All honor to the owners,” said Glatt. “We had to start and stop. He is a slightly raced horse, but it has been well preserved. Hopefully there are larger and better things ahead.”
Dr. Venkman is from Ghostzapper. His name grabs back to the character Dr. Peter Venkman, played by Bill Murray in the original “Ghostbusters” film.
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