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2023 Pat O'Brien Stakes

Ramon Vazquez celebrates aboard Anarchist after winning the 2023 Pat O'Brien Stakes

The feature race at Del Mar on Saturday was the $250,000 Pat O'Brien Stakes (G2) for older horses sprinting 7 furlongs on the main track and is a Breeders' Cup Challenge "Win and You're In" qualifier for the Dirt Mile at Santa Anita on November 4. Conditions were excellent at the seaside oval with the 11,839 fans in attendance enjoying sunny skies and temperatures in the high 60's. A field of 10 went to post with Anarchist sent off as the 5-2 favorite off second place finishes in the True North (G2) at Belmont and the Bing Crosby (G1) at Del Mar. In to challenge him included 11-4 second choice Spirit of Makena, a disappointing last of 12 in the Bing Crosby after winning the San Carlos (G3) and Triple Bend (G2), and 3-1 third choice Sir Atticus.

Anarchist leads in the stretch

Jockey Juan Hernandez sent 7-1 fourth choice Brickyard Ride to the lead out of the chute through fractions of 21.49 and 44.44 while pressed by 41-1 Vivir Con Alegria and stalked by Spirit of Makena. Turning for home the pacesetters tired as Anarchist, fifth early under Ramon Vazquez, came out 5 wide to sweep to a clear lead through 3/4 in 1:09.66. 33-1 Bye Bye Bobby, last early under Drayden Van Dyke, came out 6 wide for his rally but Anarchist held him off to win by 3/4 length in 1:23.21. It was another length back to late-running 15-1 C Z Rocket third.

Pgm Horse Jockey Win Place Show 9 Anarchist Vazquez 7.00 4.00 3.00 11 Bye Bye Bobby Van Dyke 17.80 10.60 5 C Z Rocket Franco 6.40 Winning Time: 1:23.21 $1 Exacta 9-11 59.80 $2 Quinella 9-11 85.20 $1 Trifecta 9-11-5 392.70 $1 Superfecta 9-11-5-4 1,852.90 Results Chart

Left: Anarchist in the winner's circle. Winning trainer Doug O'Neill said, "We loved when they drew the race and he was on the outside. Ramon saved a lot of energy and he got good position. Angelo and James, 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. It's hard to make up ground on this track. He ran super."

Right: Anarchist heads back to the barn. Winning jockey Ramon Vazquez said, "They told me to go a little early. I liked the position. I had him in a good spot. He was good today; full of run. 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."

Left: Second place finisher Bye Bye Bobby in the post parade. Jockey Drayden Van Dyke said, "I wish we had more ground to work with. I would have liked to have been a little closer, but they were going fast. He wants to get going when he gets going."

Right: Third place finisher C Z Rocket in the paddock before the race. The Peter Miller trainee improved his record to 12 wins, 9 seconds, and 6 thirds in 42 starts, earning $2,072,441 for owners Altamira Racing Stable, Madaket Stables, and Tom Kagele.

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