It takes lots of braveness to go towards The Chosen Vron, and Raging Torrent had a lot. A 3-year-old taking over older runners for the primary time, Raging Torrent battled with a way more seasoned The Chosen Vron and got here away the winner within the $250,000 Grade 2 Pat O’Brien Stakes Aug. 24 at Del Mar.
On paper the seven-furlong race appeared like an intriguing matchup between California dash specialist The Chosen Vron, most lately an excellent victor within the six-furlong Grade 1 Bing Crosby Stakes, and multimillionaire Senor Buscador, a router shortening up making his first begin since profitable the Saudi Cup and working third within the Dubai World Cup.
Bettors didn’t ignore Raging Torrent after a few sharp seven-furlong wins at Churchill Downs that included the Maxfield In a single day Stakes. The Chosen Vron went off because the logical 1-2 favourite, with Senor Buscador a slim $4.30-1 second alternative over Raging Torrent at $4.40-1. As a 3-year-old, Raging Torrent acquired seven kilos from the opposite two, carrying 118 kilos to 125 for The Chosen Vron and Senor Buscador.
When the gate opened, The Chosen Vron broke on prime, however Raging Torrent and common rider Antonio Fresu took over the lead. Hector Berrios let The Chosen Vron gallop alongside in fourth as Raging Torrent accomplished the primary quarter mile in :22.56.
Going into the flip, The Chosen Vron pulled up alongside Raging Torrent, thrusting his nostril in entrance. That ought to have ended the race proper there, however Raging Torrent wasn’t even near completed. He fought again valiantly, wresting the lead away from the 6-year-old star with a sixteenth to go. The pair raced head and head to the wire, with Raging Torrent edging The Chosen Vron by a neck and stopping the clock in 1:21.17.
Large Metropolis Lights, who has made a behavior of working second to The Chosen Vron, completed third, 3 1/2 lengths again. Senor Buscador made a late run to get fourth, three lengths behind Large Metropolis Lights.
The O’Brien is a part of the Breeders’ Cup Problem Sequence, and Raging Torrent earned a “win and also you’re in” berth into the Large Ass Followers Breeders’ Cup Dust Mile. The Chosen Vron already has earned a berth to the Breeders’ Cup Dash by his victory within the Bing Crosby.
Doug O’Neill trains Raging Torrent and acknowledged that receiving weight from The Chosen Vron helped him. The coach added that Raging Torrent “is a tall, lengthy horse who covers lots of floor and acted like a two-turn sort of horse.” Whereas O’Neill mentioned the colt may ultimately get two turns efficiently, “proper now he is a one-turn specialist – and wow.”