Giant Expectations Seeks Second Pat O'Brien Win

Making his first appearance on the Southern California circuit in more than nine months, Giant Expectations will return to the Del Mar starting gate Aug. 29 and attempt to reclaim his title in the $150,000 Pat O'Brien Stakes (G2).

Now 7, the son of Frost Giant  took time off after finishing off the board in the 2019 Big Ass Fans Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile (G1) at Santa Anita Park to recover from a training injury.

"He actually had a minor fracture in his splint bone, and that took like four months to heal," trainer Peter Eurton said. "But that is all healed and he's doing well. You don't see too many horses do that at the age of 6, but it is what it is. We don't know how long he's going to want to do it, but he's in a good frame of mind right now." 

Owned by David Bernsen, Exline-Border Racing, Gatto Racing, and Garett Zubok, Giant Expectations earned the first stakes win of his career when he took the 2017 Pat O'Brien by 1 1/2 lengths. He didn't contest the race in 2018 but returned to Del Mar for the 2019 renewal and finished second, a head behind Catalina Cruiser . Despite the long layoff, trainer Peter Eurton said the protégé looks stronger than ever ahead of Saturday's dirt test. 

Since returning to training, Giant Expectations has steadily improved during his workouts on the Del Mar main track. The New York-bred most recently logged a four-furlong move in :47 3/5 Aug. 22. 

"Mentally and physically, he couldn't be doing any better," Eurton said. "He doesn't seem like he's missing a step. He's older, obviously he's 7 now, but he loves the racetrack and he's trained well. There is no reason not to see the same horse. He seems to be doing things as easy and as well as he's done them before. 

"He loves this track, he loves this distance, and he loves running fresh. All those things put together are some of the reasons he's doing so well. He looks really good." 

Giant Expectations will break from post 7 under jockey Umberto Rispoli. 

Hoping to log his third consecutive victory in the Pat O'Brien is trainer John Sadler, who will send out Flagstaff from post 4 under Victor Espinoza. The Southern California trainer won the 2018 and 2019 renewals with Catalina Cruiser, who retired last year and joined the stallion roster at Lane's End. 

Owned by Lane's End Racing and Hronis Racing, Flagstaff has been consistent in his four starts in 2020, running second in the Jan. 25 Palos Verdes Stakes (G2) at Santa Anita and the April 18 Count Fleet Sprint Handicap (G3) at Oaklawn Park. The only victory for the 6-year-old son of Speightstown  this year came March 7 in the San Carlos Stakes (G2) at Santa Anita over the Pat O'Brien distance.  

The highweight Saturday, he enters off a fourth-place finish in the June 7 Triple Bend Stakes (G2) at Santa Anita. 

Making his second start at Del Mar this year is multiple graded winner Law Abidin Citizen, who enters off a third in the Aug. 1 Bing Crosby Stakes (G1). Trained by Mark Glatt and campaigned by Dan Agnew, Gerry Schneider, and John Xitco, the gelded son of Twirling Candy  has not won in stakes company since last August when he took the Longacres Mile Handicap (G3) at Emerald Downs. 

Law Abidin Citizen will leave from the rail with Abel Cedillo in the irons. 

The Pat O'Brien will award the winner an automatic berth in the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile Nov. 7 at Keeneland as part of the Breeders' Cup Challenge series.

Entries: Pat O'Brien S. (G2)

Del Mar, Saturday, August 29, 2020, Race 10

• Grade II
• 7f
• Dirt
• $150,000
• 3 yo's & up
• 6:38 PM (local)

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	1Law Abidin Citizen (KY)	Abel Cedillo	121	Mark Glatt	5/1
2	2P R Radio Star (KY)	Juan J. Hernandez	121	Philip D'Amato	6/1
3	3Manhattan Up (KY)	Tiago Josue Pereira	121	Philip A. Oviedo	15/1
4	4Flagstaff (KY)	Victor Espinoza	123	John W. Sadler	5/2
5	5C Z Rocket (FL)	Flavien Prat	121	Peter Miller	4/1
6	6Vertical Threat (KY)	Heriberto Figueroa	118	Richard Baltas	8/1
7	7Giant Expectations (NY)	UMBERTO RISPOLI	121	Peter Eurton	7/2
8	8Blameitonthelaw (KY)	Drayden Van Dyke	121	Ronald W. Ellis	12/1