Speaker's Corner seeks class relief in Pat O'Brien

DEL MAR, Calif. – After facing the likes of Life Is Good and Flightline in his last two starts, Speaker’s Corner will look for a bit of class relief while making his first start outside the Eastern time zone when he ships west for the Grade 2, $250,000 Pat O’Brien Stakes on Saturday at Del Mar.

The Pat O’Brien, at seven furlongs around one turn, is a Win and You’re In for the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile, which is to be run around two turns Nov. 5 at Keeneland.

Speaker’s Corner has excelled in one-turn races this year. He won three straight, culminated by a victory in the Grade 1 Carter at Aqueduct going seven furlongs in April, before finishing third in the Grade 1 Met Mile behind Flightline in June and, most recently, second to Life Is Good on July 2 in the seven-furlong, Grade 2 John A. Nerud, both at Belmont Park.

Speaker’s Corner has been at Saratoga with Bill Mott, who on Sunday said he would employ Mike Smith to ride Speaker’s Corner in the Pat O’Brien.

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The best local horse in the Pat O’ Brien is American Theorem, who earned a fees-paid berth to the Breeders’ Cup Sprint when he captured the Grade 1 Bing Crosby here last month. He worked six furlongs Sunday morning at Del Mar in 1:14 for trainer George Papaprodromou.

Others likely for the Pat O’Brien are C Z Rocket – who won this race in 2020 and was second in it last year – along with Get Her Number, Principe Carlo, Restrainedvengence, Senor Buscador, and possibly Laurel River and Shazz.

C Z Rocket (four furlongs, 49.40 seconds) and Get Her Number (five furlongs, 1:00.40) both worked Sunday for trainer Peter Miller. Principe Carlo went five furlongs in 1:01.40 for trainer and co-owner Librado Barocio.

On Sunday, Edgeway will seek to defend her title in the Grade 3, $150,000 Rancho Bernardo Handicap for older female sprinters going 6 1/2 furlongs.

John Sadler trains Edgeway, who won two straight earlier this year before finishing sixth in the Grade 1 Derby City Distaff on May 7, after which she was freshened. She worked five furlongs in 1:00.40 on Sunday morning.

A small field is likely for the Rancho Bernardo, including Private Mission, Samurai Charm, Slammed, and possibly Dance to the Music.