It takes a lot of courage to go against The Chosen Vron, and Raging Torrent had plenty. A 3-year-old taking on older runners for the first time, Raging Torrent battled with a much more seasoned The Chosen Vron and came away the winner in the Aug. 24 Pat O'Brien Stakes (G2) at Del Mar.
On paper the seven-furlong race looked like an intriguing matchup between California sprint specialist The Chosen Vron, most recently a superb victor in the six-furlong Bing Crosby Stakes (G1), and multimillionaire Senor Buscador, a router making his first start since winning the Saudi Cup (G1) and running third in the Dubai World Cup (G1).
Bettors did not ignore Raging Torrent after a couple of sharp seven-furlong wins at Churchill Downs that included the Maxfield Overnight Stakes. The Chosen Vron went off as the logical 1-2 favorite, with Senor Buscador a narrow $4.30-1 second choice over Raging Torrent at $4.40-1. As a 3-year-old, Raging Torrent received seven pounds from the other two, carrying 118 pounds to 125 for The Chosen Vron and Senor Buscador.
When the gate opened, The Chosen Vron broke on top, but Raging Torrent and regular rider Antonio Fresu took over the lead. Hector Berrios let The Chosen Vron gallop along in fourth as Raging Torrent completed the first quarter-mile in :22.56.
Going into the turn, The Chosen Vron pulled up alongside of Raging Torrent, thrusting his nose in front. That should have ended the race right there. But Raging Torrent wasn't even close to finished. He fought back valiantly, wresting the lead away from the 6-year-old star with a sixteenth to go. The pair raced head and head to the wire, with Raging Torrent edging The Chosen Vron by a neck and stopping the clock in 1:21.17.
Big City Lights, who has made a habit of running second to The Chosen Vron, finished third, 3 1/2 lengths back. Senor Buscador made a late run to get fourth, three lengths behind Big City Lights.
The O'Brien is part of the Breeders' Cup Challenge Series, and Raging Torrent earned a fees-paid berth to the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile (G1) Nov. 2 at Del Mar. The Chosen Vron already has earned a berth to the Breeders' Cup Sprint (G1) through his victory in the Bing Crosby.
Doug O'Neill trains Raging Torrent for Mark Davis, who purchased the colt from consignor Randy Bradshaw for $75,000 at the 2023 Ocala Breeders' Spring Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training. Davis campaigns Raging Torrent solely, but during Del Mar brings in Great Friends Stables, a group of people who like to partner on horses during the summer. Great Friends was listed as co-owner when Raging Torrent raced at Del Mar last year and into the Santa Anita Park fall meeting. Raging Torrent in 2023 broke his maiden at Del Mar and ran third in the Best Pal Stakes (G3).
"I've got to thank Mark Davis," O'Neill said. "He let Great Friends take a little piece for the meet. It was kind of him to do that."
O'Neill acknowledged that receiving weight from The Chosen Vron helped Raging Torrent. The trainer added that Raging Torrent "is a tall, long horse who covers a lot of ground and acted like a two-turn type of horse." While O'Neill said the colt might eventually get two turns successfully, "right now he's a one-turn specialist—and wow."
Rodney J. Winkler and Alfonso Mazzetti bred Raging Torrent in Kentucky from their winning homebred Violence mare Violent Wave. Raging Torrent is one of six 2024 stakes winners, and the first graded stakes winner, sired by Maximus Mischief , who was second-leading first-crop sire in 2023 by progeny earnings. The Into Mischief stallion stood for a 2024 stud fee of $25,000 at Spendthrift Farm near Lexington.
