Dr. Venkman

Dr. Venkman emerged as a promising 3-year-old during summer 2023 racing in California, winning his first two races at 6 ½ and seven furlongs during the Del Mar meet. The bay gelding then was shipped to Kentucky for his stakes debut, and just missed in the seven-furlong Perryville Stakes at Keeneland on Oct. 21, leading late but yielding to Raise Cain by a neck.

After a break of over seven months, Dr. Venkman reappeared in the seven-furlong, Grade 2 Triple Bend Stakes June 1, 2024, at Santa Anita Park. He was no match for winner Happy Jack but ran well in finishing second considering the layoff.

That set Dr. Venkman up for a tougher test as he tried two turns for the first time in the Grade 2 San Diego Handicap at Del Mar July 27, 2024. He pressed the early pace set by Arabian Knight and dispatched that foe coming out of the far turn in the 1 1/8-mile San Diego to pull clear and hold off longshot Katonah by a length for a breakthrough victory.

The next win for Dr. Venkman came in the third start of his 5-year-old season and it came in a big spot in the Grade 2 $250,000 Pat O'Brien Stakes going seven furlongs Aug. 23, 2025, at Del Mar. Sent off as the 2.70-1 third choice on the tote board in a six-horse field in the Pat O'Brien, Dr. Venkman stalked the pace, challenged the leaders coming into the stretch, got the lead, and held firm through the lane to win by a half a length ahead of runner-up Stronghold. The Pat O'Brien was a Breeders' Cup Challenge Series "win and you're in" race, and with the victory Dr. Venkman earned a spot in the starting gate for the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile.

Dr. Venkman is trained by Mark Glatt. The cleverly named colt in homage of a character in “Ghostbusters” is by Hall of Famer Ghostzapper and out of the winning Archarcharch mare Theory of Change. He is a half-brother to stakes winner Tranche.