When it got here to seven furlongs sprinting in California, the specialist proved finest within the Grade 1 $300,000 Malibu Stakes Dec. 26 at Santa Anita. Raging Torrent, a confirmed stakes winner at seven furlongs, defeated a subject that included a number of preferring longer distances, together with 2024 Kentucky Derby introduced by Woodford Reserve winner Mystik Dan.
Mystik Dan was making his celebrated comeback after competing in all three 2024 Triple Crown occasions. The opening day Santa Anita crowd eagerly flocked to the paddock and strolling ring to see him.
“That is him!” one fan shouted to his good friend as they watched Mystik Dan stride by.
The primary Derby winner to compete within the Malibu since Silver Allure in 1997, Mystik Dan hadn’t tried a one-turn race because the fall of his 2-year-old season in 2023. In each of his prior sprints – at Keeneland and Churchill Downs – he was proper on the tempo.
California pace is completely different, nevertheless, and when the gate opened within the Malibu, Mystik Dan broke in fourth behind Stronghold, Pilot Commander, and Creativeness who’re all veterans of the SoCal circuit. Mystik Dan by no means might get into the race and finally completed eight lengths final within the six-horse subject.
Raging Torrent, ridden by Frankie Dettori and favored at 5-2, got here away from the gate in fifth however stepped proper into the fray. He quickly was racing on even phrases with Pilot Commander, who set the early fractions of :22.19 for the primary quarter-mile and :44.29 for a half-mile.
Into the flip, Raging Torrent challenged the chief, taking command in higher stretch. Stronghold was rallying, however Raging Torrent had loads left to carry him off and scored by 1 1/4 lengths, stopping the timer in 1:21.54. Stronghold, winner of the Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby and seventh behind Mystik Dan within the Kentucky Derby, completed second whereas a half-length in entrance of third-place Creativeness.
Coach Doug O’Neill, who has gained two Kentucky Derbies himself with Nyquist and I am going to Have One other, gained his first Malibu with Raging Torrent. Earlier on the cardboard O’Neill additionally gained the Grade 2 Laffit Pincay Jr. Stakes with J B Strikes Again.
“It is a Grade 1, so that’s simply priceless,” O’Neill mentioned. “It is for 3-year-olds solely – final one of many 12 months – and simply a good way to begin the meet. I am speechless proper now.”
Raging Torrent, owned by Mark Davis and Nice Buddies Secure, demonstrated his affinity for seven furlongs when he captured a Might 24 allowance/optionally available claiming race and the June 30 Maxfield Stakes at Churchill Downs. He added a win within the Aug. 24 Grade 2 Pat O’Brien Stakes going seven furlongs at Del Mar.
Santa Anita held 5 different graded stakes on its opening-day Dec. 26 card. To headline the opposite motion, jockey Flavien Prat set a brand new North American file with 56 graded stakes wins throughout a calendar 12 months when he guided odds-on favourite King of Gosford to a wire-to-wire, one-length rating within the Mathis Mile Stakes on turf. Prat broke Jerry Bailey’s earlier file of 55 with the victory.
In different races, West Coast standout Johannes bounced again from an excellent runner-up effort within the FanDuel Breeders’ Cup Mile Introduced by PDJF to win the 1 1/8-mile San Gabriel Stakes by three-quarters of a size, ending up his 2024 marketing campaign with a sterling 5-for-6 file, all in stakes races. Within the seven-furlong La Brea Stakes Introduced by Don Julio for 3-year-old fillies, Kopion posted an enormous upset in her first begin since early April, powering clear within the stretch underneath Kazushi Kimura. The Richard Mandella trainee romped by 2 ¾ lengths at 37.70-1 odds and gained her third race in 5 profession begins.
Three-year-old fillies on turf took middle stage within the American Oaks, and one specifically, She Feels Fairly, cemented her standing as the most effective in her age group with an emphatic win within the 1 ¼-mile race because the heavy favourite. The American Oaks tally adopted a equally spectacular rating within the Queen Elizabeth II Problem Cup Stakes Introduced by Dixiana in October and capped off a breakthrough 2024 for coach Cherie DeVaux.
To kick off the stakes sequence, 3-year-old J B Strikes Again stole the headlines from stablemate and post-time favourite Katonah by scoring a 16.40-1 upset over second betting alternative Tarantino within the Laffit Pincay Jr. Stakes. That race, previously named the San Antonio Stakes, made its debut on the cardboard with a brand new title honoring Corridor of Fame jockey Laffit Pincay Jr., Santa Anita’s all-time winningest rider.
