Dr. Venkman goes for second Pat O'Brien, Gold Phoenix a fifth Del Mar 'Cap

Dr. Venkman has been unplaced in both starts this year but has a history of finding his better self in the $250,000 Pat O’Brien (G2), one of two Breeders’ Cup Challenge preps at Del Mar on Saturday.

Dr. Venkman is the defending titlist in the seven-furlong Pat O’Brien, which awards an automatic bid into the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile (G1) at Keeneland on Oct. 31. Dr. Venkman won the Pat O’Brien last year by a half-length over returning rival Stronghold, but connections ultimately chose to run him in the six-furlong Breeders’ Cup Sprint (G1), in which he finished third to Bentornato.

Six panels has seemingly not been long enough for Dr. Venkman. He was a non-competitive fourth in the Bing Crosby (G1) prior to his win in last season’s Pat O’Brien and similarly made no impact in last month’s Bing Crosby either.

Stronghold was dull in the Bing Crosby, too, a rare flop in his 15-race career. He’s been much sharper over seven furlongs, especially in late May when he flashed early foot from the start and won the Triple Bend (G3) as a 1-2 favorite.

Big City Lights, third in the Pat O’Brien back in 2024, has registered back-to-back triple-digit Brisnet Speed ratings in his two wins this year. His one seriously bad race on dirt in the last three years was in last fall’s Breeders’ Cup Sprint, where he was badly compromised by a slow start.

Moonlight made up considerable ground to finish third in the Bing Crosby, his first start for trainer Peter Miller, and is another likely to benefit by the extra furlong. Vodka Vodka might be effective cutting back in distance after finishing second in the Santa Anita H. (G1) and winning the nine-furlong Sunland Park H., while the Bob Baffert-trained March of Time doesn’t look out of place in his stakes debut.

Iron Man Cal, who narrowly missed upsetting the 2024 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf (G1), tries dirt again after garnering show honors behind the now-retired Journalism in the San Diego H. (G2).

Later in the card, Gold Phoenix will attempt to win the $300,000 Del Mar H. (G2) for the fifth consecutive year. The 1 3/8-mile grass test offers an automatic bid to the Breeders’ Cup Turf (G1).

While Gold Phoenix has lacked the class to hit the board in past Breeders’ Cup attempts, he’s increasingly become a Del Mar legend. He’s won four times since last year’s Del Mar ‘Cap, including versatile scores in the 14-furlong San Juan Capistrano (G3) and nine-furlong Eddie Read (G2).

Test Score, who landed the Pegasus World Cup Turf (G1) in January, figures to present a serious challenge. Although dull in some recent outings, he was beaten only a half-length by one of the country’s top grass horses, Deterministic, in the Manhattan (G1) two back. 

Division mainstays Mondego and Atitlan, as well as recent allowance winner Atomic Age, are other notables in the lineup.