In a race featuring the return of heralded 'TDN Rising Star' Arabian Knight (Uncle Mo), it was the lightly-raced 4-year-old Dr. Venkman (Ghostzapper) who stole the show en route to a win in the GII San Diego Handicap Saturday at Del Mar. A winner last year of his first two starts at Del Mar by a combined 10 3/4 lengths, the Mark Glatt runner shipped east to just miss by a head in the Perryville Stakes at Keeneland in October. Off a long layoff, he reappeared in California to contest the GII Triple Bend Stakes at Santa Anita June 1, running second in a four-horse field as the favorite to Happy Jack (Oxbow).
The 3-1 second choice Saturday behind Arabian Knight's 2-5, Dr. Venkman, who was trying two turns for the first time, broke on even terms with that rival but let him go on with things, taking back to sit second into the first turn and up the backstretch through fractions of :23.06 and :46.95 as the field seemed content to sit single file. Passing the half-mile pole, things began to tighten up amongst the leaders and Dr. Venkman, under a motionless Antonio Fresu, drew alongside the pacesetter and quickly stuck a head in front. As they came past the quarter pole, it quickly became evident that Arabian Knight had little response to offer and the eventual winner was left to fend off only a late challenge from a closing Katonah (Klimt) who outran his 20-1 odds to finish second.
“He has speed, so the plan was to use it,” said Fresu. “The question was going to be if he could go this far. We stayed close to the favorite, then on the turn we picked him up. When my horse made the lead, he waited. I switched sticks and hit him left handed and he responded. Good win for sure.”
Mark Glatt added: “He relaxed beautifully. Antonio (Fresu) pushed the button at the right time. I was pretty confident around the quarter pole. I thought he had more horse than the pacesetter, then it was just the question of getting on by him. He kind of got to wandering a little bit in the stretch but he ran great.”
Pedigree Notes:
Dr. Venkman becomes the 58th graded/104th stakes winner worldwide for Ghostzapper. The Ghostzapper/Arch cross is also responsible for MGISW Contested and GSWs Proctor's Ledge and In Good Spirits. Dr. Venkman is the first graded winner for broodmare sire Archarcharch.
Theory of Change, a $45,000 purchase by Hidden Brook, agent, at the 2017 KEENOV sale, is also responsible for the 2-year-old colt Cracking Connor (Street Sense) ($190,000 KEESEP yearling purchase by Christophe Clement, agent) and a Maxfield colt of this year. She was bred to Cody's Wish for 2025.
Saturday, Del Mar Thoroughbred Club
SAN DIEGO H.-GII, $300,000, Del Mar, 7-27, 3yo/up, 1 1/16m, 1:43.36, ft.
1–DR. VENKMAN, 118, g, 4, by Ghostzapper
1st Dam: Theory of Change, by Archarcharch
2nd Dam: Gal of Mine, by Mining
3rd Dam: Dansait Dame, by Dance Bid
1ST BLACK TYPE WIN, 1ST GRADED STAKES WIN. ($105,000 Ylg '21 KEESEP). O-Dan J. Agnew, Clint Bunch, Mark Cohen and James Hailey; B-Ghostzapper Syndicate & Hidden Brook Farm (KY); T-Mark Glatt; J-Antonio Fresu. $180,000. Lifetime Record: 5-3-2-0, $358,500. *1/2 to Tranche (Collected), SW, $102,620. Werk Nick Rating: A+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Katonah, 119, g, 5, Klimt–Ctimene, by Consolidator. 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE. ($45,000 Wlg '19 KEENOV; $65,000 Ylg '20 KEESEP). O-R3 Racing LLC; B-Haymarket Farm LLC (KY); T-Doug F. O'Neill. $60,000.
3–Express Train, 120, h, 7, Union Rags–I'm a Flake, by Mineshaft. ($500,000 Ylg '18 KEESEP). O-C R K Stable LLC; B-Dixiana Farms LLC (KY); T-John A. Shirreffs. $36,000.
Margins: 1, 3 3/4, HF. Odds: 3.10, 20.70, 6.60.
Also Ran: Arabian Knight, Newgrange. Scratched: Subsanador (Arg).
Click for the Equibase.com chart and the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.
Digs deep and finds more! 🎙️
Dr. Venkman is tenacious in victory in the Grade II San Diego Handicap. pic.twitter.com/LYl7yCGkia
— Del Mar Racetrack (@DelMarRacing) July 28, 2024
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