Favorite Raging Torrent Prevails In Grade I, $300,000 Malibu Stakes On Opening Day At Santa Anita

FAVORITE RAGING TORRENT PREVAILS IN GRADE I, $300,000 MALIBU STAKES ON OPENING DAY AT SANTA ANITA; KENTUCKY DERBY WINNER MYSTIK DAN LAST

ARCADIA, CA (Dec. 26, 2024)—Raging Torrent, bet down to the 5-2 favorite, finished best of all to provide trainer Doug O’Neill with his first-evert win in the Grade I, $300,000 Malibu Stakes for 3-year-olds going seven furlongs on opening day at Santa Anita.

Ridden by Frankie Dettori, Raging Torrent tracked pacesetter Pilot Commander (7-2), took over at the top of the stretch and sped to the wire to bag his second graded stakes win this year. Most recently seventh in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint at Del Mar Nov. 2, Raging Torrent this summer won the GII Pat O’Brien Stakes, also going seven furlongs, at Del Mar.

“Doug told me my horse was in good shape, we had a perfect distance, a good post and he was right,” Dettori said. “He was very tough today.”

As for Kentucky Derby winner Mystik Dan, he was never a factor making his first start in more than six months. The Goldencents colt was near the back of the pack throughout and finished last in a field that was reduced to six following the scratches of Bentornato and Senior Officer.

“He broke good, but it just seemed like we were always chasing,” said Mystik Dan’s rider, Brian Hernandez Jr. “I think shortening up took away from him. After running a mile and a quarter, it is tough to go back to seven-eighths. The horse is fine.”

Raging Torrent won in a time of 1:21.54 following fractions of 22.19, 44.29 and 1:08.66. He was followed by GI Santa Anita Derby winner Stronghold (9-2) and Imagination (4-1) with Pacesetter Pilot Commander held on to complete the superfecta.

“You know, the horse was doing so well and threw such a great pose,” O’Neill said of the winner. “We knew this is a perfect distance, so we were so optimistic. But in this sport, a lot of times you're optimistic and you go home with a flat balloon…but he ran a race that we had dreamed of and just so happy and proud.

By Maximus Mischief, Raging Torrent improved to 12: 5-1-2 with $667,400 in earnings for owners Mark Davis and Great Friends Stables.