Raging Torrent (right) outlegs The Chosen Vron © Benoit Photo

In a notable upset, the 3-year-old colt Raging Torrent flashed speed from the start, then hung tough late to best odds-on favorite The Chosen Vron Saturday at Del Mar in the $251,500 Pat O’Brien Stakes.

The winner, who was capturing his third straight score after a recent pair of victories in Kentucky at Churchill Downs, ran seven furlongs in 1:21.17 to prove a neck the best under Antonio Fresu and returned $10.80 to his backers in the headliner. He earned a first prize of $150,000 for taking the 39th edition of the Grade II test. The son of the Into Mischief stallion Maximus Mischief is trained by veteran Doug O’Neill.

The winning owners are Mark Davis and a group of locals headed by Craig Dado of Del Mar who race under the name Great Friends Stable.

The winner earns free entry into the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile, as part of the “Win And You’re In” program. 

The Chose Vron, owned by Sondereker Racing, J. Eric Kruljac, et al, proved three and a half lengths better than William Peeples’ Big City Lights.

The Chose Vron, a 6-year-old gelding by the late Vronsky, was 1/2 in the betting as he sought his seventh victory in a row and what would have been his 20th score in his 25th start.

The winning purse pushed Raging Torrent’s bankroll to $467,400. It was his fourth tally in his 10th overall start.

Racing will continue at Del Mar Sunday with first post is at the usual 2 p.m.

ANTONIO FRESU (Raging Torrent), Winner) – “Well I tried to ride him as I did back in Churchill. He felt good. Obviously today he had more work to do as The Chosen Vron was there. But (Raging Torrent) is a fighter. I didn’t give him one touch. Once the horse showed me that he was fighting, I didn’t want to punish him, you know. He was keeping his head in front, and Doug (trainer O’Neill) is doing a great job with him. You know, it’s not easy to beat The Chosen Vron, which is the best horse in California but we did it. We always knew the horse was a good one.”

DOUG O’NEILL (Raging Torrent, winner) – “I didn’t know if we’d get that easy of a lead. Antonio (Fresu) had a lot of confidence and everything we dreamt about on paper worked out. Turning for home I was thinking maybe we got second but it didn’t look like anybody was moving in on us. I never thought he’d put away The Chosen Vron. That was pretty incredible.”

HECTOR I. BERRIOS (The Chosen Vron, second) – “He tried; no doubt. But maybe he came back a little too quick. He just ran here a few weeks ago (July 27) and this might have been too soon. He had to give the winner weight, too (125 – 118). That all adds up.”

FRACTIONS:  :22.56  :44.96  1:08.74  1:21.17

The stakes win was the third of the meeting for rider Fresu and his first in the Pat O’Brien. 

The stakes win was the first of the meeting for trainer O’Neill, but his third in the O’Brien, including a victory last year with Anarchist. He now has 47 stakes wins at Del Mar. 

The winning owners are Mark Davis and Great Friends Stable, headed by Craig Dado of Del Mar.