It takes a lot of courage to resist. Vron is selected And raging water There was a lot. A 3-year-old horse facing older horses for the first time, Raging Torrent fought off a much more experienced horse, The Chosen Vron, and won the Pat O’Brien Stakes (G2) on August 24 at Del Mar.
On paper, the seven-furlong race looks like an intriguing clash between California sprint specialist The Chosen Vron, most recently a stunning winner of the six-furlong Bing Crosby Stakes (G1), and a millionaire Mr. Buscador a stopper making his first start since winning the Saudi Cup (G1) and finishing third in the Dubai World Cup (G1).
Punters are not overlooking Raging Torrent after a couple of sharp seven-furlong wins at Churchill Downs including the Maxfield Overnight Stakes. The Chosen Vron has become the reasonable 1-2 favourite, with Senor Buscador the second choice at 4.30-1 to Raging Torrent at 4.40-1. As a 3-year-old, Raging Torrent has gained seven pounds from the other two contenders, carrying 118 pounds compared to 125 pounds for The Chosen Vron and Senor Buscador.
When the gates opened, The Chosen Vron broke away to take the lead, but Raging Torrent and regular rider Antonio Fresu took over the lead. Hector Berrios let The Chosen Vron gallop into fourth as Raging Torrent completed the first quarter mile in :22.56.
Entering the turn, The Chosen Vron pulled up alongside Raging Torrent, pushing his nose forward. That should have ended the race right there. But Raging Torrent wasn’t even close. He fought back bravely, reclaiming the lead from the 6-year-old star with sixteen lengths to go. The pair raced to the finish, with Raging Torrent edging The Chosen Vron by a neck and stopping the clock in 1:21.17.
Big City Lights The Chosen Vron, who habitually ran second to The Chosen, finished third, 3 1/2 lengths behind. Senor Buscador made a late run to finish fourth, three lengths behind Big City Lights.
O’Brien is part of the Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series, and Raging Torrent earned a spot in the paid Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile (G1) on November 2 at Del Mar. Chosen Vron earned a spot in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint (G1) through his win in the Bing Crosby.
Doug O’Neill trains Raging Torrent for Mark Davis, who bought the colt from consignor Randy Bradshaw for $75,000 at the 2023 Ocala Breeders’ Spring Sale of 2-Year-Old Horses in Training. Davis has only campaigned Raging Torrent, but during Del Mar, they brought in Great Friends Stables, a group of people who like to partner horses in the summer. Great Friends was listed as a co-owner when Raging Torrent raced at Del Mar last year and this year. Santa Anita Park fall meeting. Raging Torrent in 2023 broke his track record at Del Mar and finished third in the Best Pal Stakes (G3).
“I have to thank Mark Davis,” O’Neill said. “He let Great Friends take a small part of the meeting. It was very kind of him to do that.”
O’Neill admitted that gaining weight from The Chosen Vron has helped Raging Torrent. The trainer added that Raging Torrent “is a tall, long horse who can cover a lot of ground and act as a two-turn horse.” While O’Neill said the colt could eventually do two-turns successfully, “right now he’s a one-turn specialist—and that’s great.”
Rodney J. Winkler and Alfonso Mazzetti bred Raging Torrent in Kentucky from their winning homebred Violence mare Fierce waves . Raging Torrent is one of six 2024 award winners and the first ranked award winner, born of Mischievous Maximus is the second-ranked first-crop sire in 2023 by progeny income. Into mischief The stallion has a $25,000 stud fee in 2024 at Spendthrift Farm near Lexington.
Video: Pat O’Brien S. (G2)
