Who was Pat O'Brien?

re: Who was Pat O'Brien?

wista — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 16:15:08 GMT

What a wonderful trip ! The sport then was a wonderful game. In those days horse racing was always number one in attendance. Horses ran in their fourth and fifth years and full 12 horse fields were the norm.

Peopel like Crosby and O"brien were the stalwarts that are missing today.

re: Who was Pat O'Brien?

rich loughrey — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 13:50:23 GMT

Beautiful piece of work. Thank you so much.

re: Who was Pat O'Brien?

mrbill — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 20:44:43 GMT

Thanks for the wonderful article. It's too bad we can't see Del Mar the way it should be. Please put in a good dirt track - enough with the plastic!

re: Who was Pat O'Brien?

merrywriter — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 15:23:59 GMT

I watched the Pat O'Brien on Saturday. I didn't know he had a stakes race named after him, but I knew immediately who he was, and why one would be named for him. Actors of that day were avid race fans.

As a kid I would stay glued to the TV after school to watch the "old" black and white movies which were only 20 to 30 years old at the time. Pat O'Brien was in many of them, not just the priest mentioned, but type cast as a cop or detective too, even sometimes as a mobster.

TCM [Turner Classic Movies] has a retrospective of actors, usually on their birthdays, and will play their movies for 24 hours. Their website tcm.com will tell you when O'Brien films are being aired.

In their heyday, most all actors were racing fans and attended the races. Whether this was demanded by their agents 'to be seen', or the known 'fanatics' like Crosby, Hardy and O'Brien brought all their friends to support their track, everyone went to the races. Life was such that afternoons could be taken off from work [except when filming] or in the case of Hardy filming was worked around golf and racing. Crosby too I'm sure.

It was hoped that when Tobey McGuire's 'Seabiscuit'was showned it would help revive racing today. But times have changed because stars are activists for 'pet' causes. Since films have always had activists [Griffith's 'Intolerance' as a statement to public reaction to 'Birth of a Nation' both being two of the first], the same is true today. The stars of today are not going to support an industry that they perceive as mistreating horses. In order to get stars to the tracks, there has to be better treatment of the horses, especially unwanted horses who have given their short lives for entertaining the crowds. This is the only thing that will bring the stars back and thus the fans who follow them.

The tracks know this and why all of them don't institute adoption programs at the tracks is a mystery to me. Had there been more awareness in Crosby/O'Brien/Hardy's day, they would have put in such an adoption program at Del Mar. If there is one thing actors, then and now, are aware of it's PR and 'rescuing' horses

is the best PR going.

re: Who was Pat O'Brien?

Abbie Knowles — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 23:41:28 GMT

Pat O'Brien sounds to have been a lovely man. Bing Crosby was too and I loved his singing. High Society staring Bing Crosby, Frank Sinatra and Grace Kelly is one of my favourite musicals but can only remember the names of the above three! They were all very good though!

Loved the film and book about Seabiscuit but he was nowhere near a good as SEA PIGEON in my totally biased opinion!

Does anyone remember just how great a racemare and broodmare DAHLIA was??? She was the best ever, again that is in my totally biased opinion!

The Minstrel was one of THE GREATEST too he was just whisked off to stud before he was old enough to show just how great he was!

Cigar was one of THE GREATEST which is so obvious it does not need writing really.

And as for SEATTLE SLEW!!!!!!! Had better stop writing about him for a while.

But not A P INDY and all Seattle Slew's descendants!

Others i consider to be among the Greatest include A P Indy Captain Christy!!!! Grand Canyon (NZ)!!!

Dubai Millenium, Galileo, High Chaparal! (bring back Manolito and co to our screens please!) Intrepidity, Indian Skimmer, Musical Bliss, Nijinsky, Northern Dancer, Seattle Song. Too many to mention actually!!!

God Bless all TRUE HORSE and ANIMALS LOVERS who do not abuse my friends!!!!!!!!!

re: Who was Pat O'Brien?

berttheclock — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 15:39:47 GMT

Yes, yes, may I, also, add my thanks to you for this great trip down memory lane.

Chills, indeed, in reading Mr O'Brien's description of racing.

While attending DM in the '80s, a lady let me peruse a DM program from 1939 - What a difference - No morning lines - Claimers with full fields, but, not of the optional kind. Nor, did they have Starter Allowances to mask the shortage of horses.

Yes, Bing still croons "Where the turf meets the surf...", but, Pat O'Brien still walks among the grandstand and railbird denizenss spreading comraderie and, if one concentrates just enough, you will hear a soft "Who do you like?" in your ear.

re: Who was Pat O'Brien?

Monica V — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 15:02:15 GMT

Wonderful article! I remember Pat O'Brien quite well as an actor and his many character rolls. He was very gifted and well loved. He was very involved in Del Mar when racing was so big. It's such a shame that it is no longer that big a sport. It used to get so much publicity and coverage in newspapers and even on television in the early and mid 1960's. I hope that someday it might once again see some glory days.

re: Who was Pat O'Brien?

Patrick J HUrley — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 14:09:01 GMT

Absolutely stunning and outstanding! What a tremendous history lesson. More stories such as this needs to be addressed to television and racing fans all over the world.

re: Who was Pat O'Brien?

Cgriff — Sun, 24 Aug 2008 15:29:48 GMT

THANK YOU for a look back at O'Brien and the birth of Del Mar. What a great blog!

O'Brien's description of what made Del Mar - and horse racing in general - wonderful is classic, classic stuff. He could have been a sports writer if he hadn't been an actor!

I remember watching all the old Looney Tunes as a kid that would make fun of Bing Crosby's horses lack of speed - I wonder how few fans today recognize how much he, O'Brien and others gave to make racing truly grand in CA.

Anyone looking to catch any of the actors who were part of Del Mar and Santa Anita's world should tune into Turner Movie Classics.