2017 Pat O'Brien Stakes Preview, Entries & Odds

OffTrackBetting.com - The G2 Pat O'Brien Stakes comes our way this Saturday, August 26 at Del Mar Race Track in Del Mar, California. A purse of $200,000 will be on the line for horses three years old and upward willing to go seven furlongs on Del Mar's dirt track.

A field of 11 will take to the track in the Pat O'Brien Stakes - race 9 on Del Mar's Saturday schedule. Post time is 6:10 PM. Here is a glance into the past performances of all 11 combatants for this interesting G2 stakes - a Breeders' Cup Challenge "Win and You're In" race for the Las Vegas Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile.

2017 Pat O'Brien Stakes Entries at Del Mar Race Track

Danzing Candy 8-5

Bob Baffert trained colt has six wins, a second and a third-place finish in 11 career starts. He made his stakes debut last March 12 and produced a terrific win by two lengths in the G2 San Felipe Stakes at Santa Anita which followed an impressive 5 3/4 length gate-to-wire Allowance Optional Claiming score on that track February 4 of 2016. He went on to a disappointing fifteenth place finish in the 2016 Kentucky Derby and finished his 2016 campaign with an OK second in the G3 Affirmed Stakes at Santa Anita in July. Danzing Candy was off for eight months before returning to a third-place finish in the minor Jo Hernandez Stakes at Santa Anita in March. He has since reeled off three straight impressive wins - and Allowance Optional Claiming score May 5, the G3 Lone Star Park Handicap by 4 3/4 lengths with a 107 Beyer Speed Figure May 28 and the G2 San Carlos Stakes last time out at Santa Anita July 1. Danzing Candy has been seriously trending upward ahead of this week and shoots for a third straight graded stakes score from gate 8. Joe Talamo gets the call on the obvious morning line favorite.

Silent Bird 5-1

Impressive Mark Glatt trainee has seven career starts with five wins and a second-place finish. He made his graded stakes debut last time out and finished a slightly disappointing fourth in the G1 Triple Bend Stakes at Santa Anita back on March 11. Before that was a five-race win streak - and Allowance Optional Claiming January 6, another Allowance Optional Claiming at Del Mar December 1, the minor Damascus Stakes in November and another pair of Allowance Optional Claiming races at Santa Anita. Silent Bird hits the track for the first time on nearly six months hoping to rebound of a career-worst effort. Kent Desormeaux gets the call on the second betting choice from gate 4.

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Kobe's Back 6-1

Fourth place finisher in this race in 2015 - Peter Eurton trainee returned to the track for the first time in nine months on March 11 and finished fifth in the G1 Triple Bend Stakes at Santa Anita and followed that with a fourth in the G2 Kona Gold Stakes on that track May 20, a third in the G2 San Carlos Stakes also at Santa Anita July 1 and a fourth last time out in the G1 Bing Crosby Stakes here July 29. Before the layoff was a third in the 2016 Triple Bend Stakes, another third in the G3 Churchill Downs Stakes May 7, 2016 and consecutive wins - the 2016 San Carlos Stakes last March 12 with a 106 Beyer Speed Figure and in the G2 Palos Verdes Stakes in February, 2016. He also posted a seventh in the 2015 Breeders' Cup Sprint, a decent second in the G1 Santa Anita Sprint Championship October 3 that year and a good win in the G3 Commonwealth Stakes at Keeneland April 4, 2015. Kobe's Back now has five wins, three seconds and five third place finishes in 24 career starts (three graded stakes scores) and will be looking for his first win in 17 long months (6 races). Flavien Prat is scheduled to ride from gate 6.

Moe Candy 6-1

Has placed in nine of 10 career starts for trainer John Sadler - three wins, three seconds and three third place finishes. Last time out was a decent third in the G1 Bing Crosby Stakes on this track July 29 after a second in the G2 Kona Gold Stakes at Santa Anita May 20, his only off-the-board finish - a sixth in the G3 Count Fleet Sprint Handicap at Oaklawn Park April 15, a second in the G2 Palos Verdes Stakes February 4 and three straight wins - two Allowance Optional Claiming and a MSW in October. Moe Candy has been good in his career so far and hopes for a first graded stakes score when he leaves from the rail with Victor Espinoza scheduled to ride.

Calculator 6-1

Peter Miller trainee has placed in 12 of 16 career starts so far - four wins, four seconds and four third-place finishes. He arrives off an OK third in the minor Wickerr Stakes on this track July 23, an Allowance Optional Claiming score at Santa Anita July 3, a fifth in the G2 Kona Gold Stakes on that track May 20 and an eleventh in the G1 Maker's 46 Mile at Keeneland April 14. Before that was an Allowance Optional Claiming score at Santa Anita March 2, a third in a similar race July 23 and an ugly tenth in the G1 Metropolitan Handicap at Belmont Park last June. Other results include consecutive runner-up finishes - the G2 Churchill Downs Stakes last May 7 and the G1 Carter Handicap at Aqueduct April 9, 2016, an OK third in the G2 San Carlos Stakes at Santa Anita March 12, 2016 and consecutive wins - an Allowance Optional Claiming February 13 of last year and in terrific fashion in the G3 Sham Stakes January 10, 2015. Calculator has placed in four of his last six starts overall and shoots for his first graded stakes win in 2 1/2 years Saturday. Rafael Bejarano rides from post 7.

Denman's Call 12-1

Has placed in six of 11 career starts for trainer Doug O'Neill - two wins, one second and three third-place finishes. He enters off a sixth in the G1 Bing Crosby Stakes on this track July 29 after an ugly tenth in the G1 Metropolitan Handicap at Belmont Park June 10, a disappointing seventh in the G2 Churchill Downs Stakes May 6, a career-best win at 16-1 in the G1 Triple Bend Stakes at Santa Anita March 11 and consecutive thirds in Allowance Optional Claiming races. He was just OK in 2016. Denman's Call hasn't been all that impressive lately but hops to return to his Triple Bend winning form from the outside post 11 with Tyler Baze aboard.

Blameitonthelaw 12-1

Has three wins, three seconds and three third-place finishes in 15 career starts for trainer John Sadler. He finished third in the 2015 G1 Del Mar Futurity and has been decent since. Last time out was an Allowance Optional Claiming score on this track July 21 after three straight runner-up finishes in Allowance Optional Claiming races at Santa Anita. Blameitonthelaw has been trending upward in Allowance company and shoots for a first stakes score from post 5 Saturday. Evin Roman will be in the irons.

Giant Expectations 12-1

Peter Eurton trained colt has placed in six of nine career starts - two wins, three seconds and a third-place finish. He makes his stakes debut Saturday off a second in an Allowance Optional Claiming here July 19 and two straight wins - an Allowance Optional Claiming at Belmont Park June 8 and a MSW on that track May 29. Giant Expectations has been decent lately against lesser company and hopes to be again in his step up Saturday. Gary Sevens has the mount from gate 10.

Home Run Kitten 20-1

Winner of the 2014 G3 Eddie D Stakes and 2016 G3 American Stakes has just five wins, two seconds and five third-place finishes in 23 career starts for trainer Peter Miller. He enters off a fifth in an Allowance Optional Claiming at Santa Anita July 3 which followed a fourth in the G3 Daytona Stakes on that track May 27 and 10 months away. Before the layoff was a fifth in the 2016 G1 Bing Crosby Stakes in July, a fourth in the G1 Triple Bend Stakes in June, a sixth in the G1 Shoemaker Mile June 4, 2016 and that American Stakes win at Santa Anita in Mat, 2016. Home Run Kitten has been up and down in his career and hopes for his first podium finish in six races - dating back to his American Stakes score in May of last year. Brice Blanc has been tabbed with snapping the skid from post 9.

Mr. Hinx 20-1

Steven Miyadi trained gelding has five wins in his eight career starts and races in graded stakes company for the first time Saturday. He enters on a two-race win streak - the minor Real Good Deal Stakes on this track July 28 and an Allowance Optional Claiming at Santa Anita June 9. Before that was a fifth in the minor Silky Sullivan Stakes at Golden Gate April 30 and a good win in the minor Echo Eddie Stakes at Santa Anita April 8. Mr. Hinx has been good against lesser company and hopes it translates in his major step up in competition. Drayden Van Dyke has been tabbed to ride from post 3.

Solid Wager 20-1

Peter Miller trained gelding has eight wins, three seconds and five third place finishes in 36 career starts. Last time out was a fifth in the G1 Bing Crosby Stakes here July 29 which followed an eighth in the G1 Metropolitan Handicap at Belmont Park June 10, an OK fourth in the G2 Churchill Downs Stakes May 6, a third in the minor Tiznow Stakes at Santa Anita February 26, a fifth in the minor Donald Valpredo California Cup Sprint at Santa Anita January 28 and a career-best effort - a win in the G3 Midnight Lute Stakes at Santa Anita December 31. He won the minor Cary Grant Stakes at Santa Anita before that. Solid Wager was very good this past winter but hasn't been great in his last three starts overall. He hopes to get back to that form Saturday with Martin Pedroza aboard from gate 2.

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2017 Pat O'Brien Stakes Odds & Entries

Race 9 on Del Mar's Saturday card with a Post Time of 9:10 PM.