Pat O'Brien Stakes 2014 at Del Mar

Las Vegas, NV - The Grade 2 Pat O'Brien Stakes is scheduled for this Sunday, August 24 from Del Mar Race Track in California. Horses three years old and upward will race seven furlongs on Del Mar's All Weather track in pursuit of the winner's portion of the $250,000 purse and an automatic bid into the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile.

Eight older entries will take to the track in the Pat O'Brien Stakes - race 9 on Del Mar's Sunday schedule. Post time is 5:00 PM. Let's take a brief look into the credentials of all eight combatants for this intriguing Grade 2 stakes.

2014 Pat O'Brien Stakes Race Favorite Entries

Fed Biz - Bob Baffert trained colt is the defending champion in this race and is coming off another win on this track - the Grade 2 San Diego Handicap last time out July 26. He finished sixth in the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile in between victories. He had a good win in the Grade 2 San Fernando Stakes January 12, 2013 as well. Other results include an OK third in the Grade 2 Strub February 2, 2013, a third in the Grade 1 Frank Kilroe Mile March 2 and a second in the minor Thunder Road Stakes at Santa Anita last April 6. Fed Biz has six wins, a second and three third place finishes in 16 career starts, is 3-fot-3 on Del Mar`s Polytrack surface, has two track records at Del Mar and will have Martin Garcia guiding him from post 2 in good overall form.

Goldencents - Doug O`Neill trained colt finished an ugly seventeenth as one of the favorites in the 2013 Kentucky Derby but he looked good after that - a win and five second place finishes in seven starts since. The highlight was a terrific win in the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile - the seconds came last time out behind Big Macher in the Grade 1 Bing Crosby here July 27, the Grade 1 Met Mile in June and three straight in 2013 - the Grade 1 Santa Anita Sprint Championship in October, the 2013 edition of the Pat O`Brien Stakes behind Fed Biz and the Grade 1 Bing Crosby Stakes. He also had a seventh in the Grade 1 Cigar Mile and a fifth in the Preakness sandwiched in there. Goldencents has just one win in the last 16 months but has been very competitive in every race the last year - but his best work is done on dirt. Rafael Bejarano gets the call on the 123 co-highweight from gate 5.

Pat O'Brien Stakes 2014 | Remaining Contenders

Big Macher - Richard Baltas trainee made his graded stakes debut March 8 and finished a good second in the Grade 2 San Carlos after a win in his stakes debut - the minor Donald Valpredo California Cup Sprint here January 25. He enters on a two race win streak - the Grade 1 Bing Crosby Stakes over Goldencents on this track July 27 followed the Grade 2 Potrero Grande Stakes in April. Big Macher has won three of his last four starts overall, with a second sandwiched in there and enters this weekend in terrific form. Tyler Baze gets the mount on the 123 pound co-highweight from gate 7.

Silentio - made his stakes debut with a terrific win in the Grade 2 Sir Beaufort Stakes at Santa Anita December 26, 2012 and followed that with an OK third in the Grade 2 Arcadia Stakes at Santa Anita February 2, a nice second in the 2013 Frank E. Kilroe Mile March 3, 2013 and a disappointing fifth in the Grade 1 Maker's 46 Mile April 12. He went on to a pair of decent thirds - behind Obviously in the Breeders' Cup Mile at 31-1 odds and in the Grade 2 Del Mar Mile August 25 and ended his 2013 campaign with a superb win in the Grade 2 Citation Handicap at Hollywood Park in November. He has been OK in three starts in 2014 - consecutive thirds - in the Grade 1 Shoemaker Mile last time out and in the Grade 3 American Stakes which followed a fifth in the Grade 1 Frank E. Kilroe Mile in March. Silentio has placed in five of his last six starts (one win) and will have Victor Espinoza aboard from post 3.

Pat O'Brien Stakes betting online at Del Mar Race Track with OffTrackBetting.com

Indexical - has two wins and a third place finish in eight career starts including an Allowance Optional Claiming here May 17. Before that he failed to place in three starts including a seventh in the Grade 1 Del Mar Futurity in September. Last time out was a fourth in the Grade 1 Bing Crosby Stakes here July 27 after an OK third in the Grade 1 Triple Bend in June at Santa Anita. Mario Gutierrez has the mount from the outside post as Indexical looks for his first graded stakes score.

Diamond Bachelor - Patrick Biancoe pupil started his career with two straight wins but hasn't tasted victory since. He raced to a ninth in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile and followed that with a fourth in the Grade 2 Robert B. Lewis Stakes in February and has placed in one of four starts since that race. Last time out was a second in an Allowance Optional Claiming on this track after a sixth in a similar race and two off the board finishes in minor stakes action. He leaves from the rail with Julien Couton in the saddle looking for his first win in a year.

Color of Courage - raced for the first time since July 2011 in November and finished a good second in the Grade 3 Vernon O. Underwood Stakes and has just one start in 2014 - an OK third in the Grade 3 Los Angeles Stakes May 26. He won four of his first six career starts and has looked decent in his graded stakes starts since. Color of Courage looks for his first win since June, 2011 with Joe Talamo aboard from post 6.

Syndicated - Michael Pender trainee has two wins, two seconds and two third place finishes in 14 career starts and has placed in two of his last five starts - a third last time out in an Allowance Optional Claiming last time out on this track followed a win in a similar race in June at Santa Anita. Before that was three straight off-the-board finishes including a ninth in his only graded stakes start - the Grade 1 Malibu Stakes back in December. Kent Desormeaux gets the call from post 4.