O'Brien winner Giant Expectations has come far in a year

DEL MAR, Calif. - Giant Expectations has come a long ways in one year.

At this time last year, Giant Expectations was fighting a lung infection that forced him out of training. He was a maiden with an uncertain future.

“We fooled around trying to get it under control,” trainer Peter Eurton recalled Sunday. “We weren’t getting anywhere. We probably wasted two months.”

The rest and recovery has led to epic changes. Giant Expectations was a maiden until Memorial Day. Saturday at Del Mar, Giant Expectations won his stakes debut in the Grade 2 Pat O’Brien at seven furlongs. The win gave Giant Expectations an automatic berth to the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile here on Nov. 3.

“I don’t have a problem with that,” Eurton said in the winner’s circle. “It could be good for him.”

Owned by Ryan Exline, Justin Border, and Dan Gatto, Giant Expectations has won 3 of 4 starts this year. A 4-year-old New York-bred colt, Giant Expectations won a maiden race for state-breds at Belmont Park on May 29 in his first start of the year, and an allowance race for state-breds there June 8. He was second in an optional claimer here at a mile July 19 in a prep for the Pat O’Brien.

“After two races in New York, I let him down a little bit,” Eurton said. “I didn’t do a lot with him coming into here.”

In the Pat O’Brien, Giant Expectations ($11.40) closed from sixth in a field of 10 to win by 1 1/2 lengths.

Eurton said Giant Expectations will be considered for the Grade 1 Santa Anita Sprint Championship on Oct. 7.