Del Mar: Enough of 2nds, Anarchist wins Pat O’Brien
Handled perfectly by old pro Ramón Vázquez, Anarchist stayed closed early, then took over at the top of the stretch and went on to a three-quarter-length victory Saturday in the Grade 2, $252,500 Pat O’Brien Stakes at Del Mar.
It was the first time in six California starts that Anarchist (5-2), who was the post-time favorite Saturday, did not finish second. His victory qualified him for the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile on Nov. 4 at Santa Anita.
“He was good today, full of run,” Vázquez said. “I took a little hold on him, and he was fine with it. Then when I asked him, he really went. He was a runner today.”
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The 4-year-old colt sired by Distorted Humor and owned by Ilium Stables ran the seven furlongs in 1:23.21 after early fractions of 21.49, 44.44 and 1:09.66. Anarchist ran his record to 12: 3-7-0 and took down a first prize of $150,000 to push his bankroll to $460,508.
Bye Bye Bobby (33-1) closed from last to finish second. He bested 9-year-old gelding C Z Rocket (15-1), who was another length back in third. It was C Z Rocket’s fourth go in the O’Brien. He has a first, a second and a third in the stakes. Sir Atticus (3-1) took fourth.
Anarchist is a bay colt trained by Doug O’Neill who went off favored in the 10-horse lineup.
“We loved when they drew the race, and he was on the outside,” O’Neill said about Anarchist’s getting post 9. “Ramón saved a lot of energy, and he got good position. Angelo and James (Freda), the owners of the horse, we all wanted to try and make the finish line the quarter pole. If you can win the quarter pole, you’ve got a chance to win. He doesn’t have a big, stretch run, but he grinds it out, and we were hoping if he was leading turning for home, we’d have a big chance, and it worked out perfectly.”
Anarchist paid $7.00, $4.00 and $3.00; Bye Bye Bobby $17.80 and $10.60; and C Z Rocket $6.40.
Before Saturday, Anarchist had started four times at Santa Anita and last out July 29 in the Bing Crosby (G1) at Del Mar. All five times he placed second. His most recent win came June 10 for in the six-furlong Jacques Cartier (G3) on the Tapeta course at Woodbine. That was Anarchist’s lone race for trainer Josie Carroll.