Malibu Stakes (Grade 1)

FRANKIE Dettori was among the Christmas winners on the Grade 1 card at Santa Anita on St Stephen’s Day, when he partnered the Doug O’Neill-trained Raging Torrent to a length and a quarter win in the Grade 1 Malibu Stakes.

The race saw the reappearance of the Kentucky Derby winner Mystik Dan, but the Kenny McPeek-trained colt proved a disappointment, never getting to the front rank and finishing last of the six runners.

Doug O’Neill is third in all-time in wins at the track, but the Malibu, one of Santa Anita’s marquee races, had eluded him.

“It was such a special day and the Malibu is such a special race, it’s really an honour,” O’Neill was reported on Blood-Horse.

The O’Neill-trained J B Strikes Back, also won the Grade 2 Laffit Pincay Jr. Stakes on the card.

Raging Torrent (by Maximus Mischief) kicked clear in the Malibu and won by a length and a half under Frankie Dettori, earning his second graded win, having won the Grade 2 Pat O’Brien Stakes, also at seven furlongs, in the summer.

Stronghold, winner of the Santa Anita Derby and seventh to Mystik Dan in the Kentucky Derby, put up a good effort in finishing a half-length in front of third-placed Imagination, the Santa Anita Derby second.

The major target for Raging Torrent in early 2025 is the Group 2 Godolphin Mile on April 5th on the Dubai World Cup card.

“The goal is the Godolphin Mile. If something comes up in early February around one turn we like, we could go there first,” O’Neill said.

American Oaks (Grade 1)

SHARING the honours for star of the show was the three-year-old filly She Feels Pretty, who dominated the 10-furlong American Oaks for her second Grade 1 win of the year.

Lael Stables’ Karakontie filly also completed a great year for her trainer Cherie DeVaux.

She had a bit of a rough passage through the early stages and then Frankie Dettori sent Kathynmarissa forward around her by the seven-furlong mark.

Responding quickly, John Velazquez set his filly to the lead and she was in control thereafter.

From just eight starts, She Feels Pretty was winning her third top-level stakes victory, after winning the Grade 1 Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup at Keeneland in her last start and the Grade 1 Natalma Stakes at Woodbine as a two-year-old.

La Brea shock

The final Grade 1 on the card, the La Brea Stakes Presented By Don Julio, for three-year-old fillies over seven furlongs, saw a surprise in the Spendthrift Farm filly Kopion, a daughter of Omaha Beach, running out a decisive two and three-quarter length winner for Richard Mandella. Her sire had won the Malibu Stakes on this card five years ago.

Spendthrift’s other filly Tamara, a daughter of champion Beholder, had to be scratched, so the win was more than welcomed.

Kopion with jockey Kazushi Kimura chased the pacesetting Sandy Bottom through fast fractions of :22.17 and :44.32secs for a half mile. After the three-furlong marker, Kopion took command and raced clear to win from the Baffert runner Splendora.

Johannes, second last time in the Grade 1 FanDuel Breeders’ Cup Mile, won the Grade 2 San Gabriel Stakes for Tim Yaktee and Umberto Rispoli.

The $1 million Grade 1 Pegasus World Cup Turf at Gulfstream Park is his target.

Also on the card, King of Gosford, a three-year-old son of Zoustar who began his career with Andy Oliver and was a Dundalk maiden winner as a juvenile, won the Grade 2 Mathis Mile for Phil D’Amato and Flavien Prat.

With the win, Prat broke the record of 55 graded stakes victories in a US calendar year held by Jerry Bailey.

AFTER few seasons of concern, the all-sources handle at Santa Anita’s four-day meeting was over $50.4 million on their 39 races.

The four days were headlined by $21.4 million wagered on the St Stephens’ Day card, the third-highest on the opening day in the track’s history, and the fourth time in the last seven years to top $20 million. There were nearly 62,000 in total attendance on track over the four days.

KENTUCKY Derby winner Mystik Dan and the 2023 Breeders’ Cup Classic winner White Abarrio are among the invitations for the $3 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational at Gulfstream Park be run on January 25th.

White Abarrio, now trained by Saffie Joseph Jr, reappeared for his first outing since June in finishing a closing second after a slow start in the December 28th Grade 3 Mr Prospector Stakes at Gulfstream Park.