BY BROCK SHERIDAN
Trainer Jose D’Angelo put Florida-bred Bentornato through his final serious preparation for next Saturday’s $2 million Cygames Breeders’ Cup Sprint (Grade 1) with four-furlong breeze at Keeneland Saturday morning. The 4-year-old son of Bridlewood Farm stallion Valiant Minister clocked a half mile in :49.40 and galloped out in 1:02.80 with jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. aboard. It was the 22nd fastest work among 54 at the distance on Keeneland Saturday morning.
“Was looking for a nice, easy workout,” trainer Jose D’Angelo said. “We were pushing him a little bit last weekend when working in company. We wanted to use this last workout to help. He’s ready.”
Owned by Leon King Stable Corp, Bentornato will make his second appearance in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint after finishing second last year to Straight No Chaser, who he is expected to face again Saturday.
Bentornato enters off a sparkling five-and-a-quarter-length victory in the $267,000 Louisville Thoroughbred Society Stakes at Churchill Downs on Sept. 13 in which he covered six furlongs in 1:08.43 for a 108 Beyer Speed Figure. That was his only race this year and his first since last year’s Breeders’ Cup on Nov. 2 at Del Mar Thoroughbred Club.
A 25% ownership interest in Bentornato, a 4-year-old by Valiant Minister, will be offered at the second edition of the Keeneland Championship Sale, to be held in the Del Mar Paddock on Wednesday, Oct. 29.
Bentornato is out of Her Special Way, by Put It Back and was bred in Florida by Tanma Corp. He has won six of 10 career starts with two seconds and two thirds with earnings of $1,282,180.
Florida breeders’ are also expected to be represented in the Sprint by James Thares’ Mad House, winner of the Grade 2 Gallant Bob at Parx Racing on Sept. 20.
Trainer David VanWinkle last worked the son of Vekoma at Palm Meadows Training Center on Wednesday, watching him breeze four furlongs in :47.10, the fastest of eight works at the distance that morning.
Mad House rides a four-race win streak into the Sprint, a span that started with a brilliant 11 ½-length victory against special weight maidens going five-and-a-half furlongs at Canterbury Park on June 29. He also won an allowance race on July 23 and an upper level, $12,500 optional claiming by eight-and-a-quarter lengths on Aug. 23, both at six furlongs at Canterbury.
Mad House is out of Stifled Heiress, by Munnings and was bred in Florida by Dr. Jean White, Wavertree Farm and Steven Venosa’s SGV Thoroughbreds.
Stifled Heiress recently sold for $470,000 in foal to Pleasant Acres Stallions’ leading first crop sire Leinster in the Fasig-Tipton October Digital Sale. She was consigned by SGV Thoroughbreds and was purchased by Bryant Prentice in the name of his Pursuit of Success LLC.
Mad House has won four of nine career starts with a second and a third with earnings of $281,815.
Florida-breds won the first three versions of the Breeders’ Cup Sprint beginning with Eillo in 1984 followed by Precisionist (1985) and Smile (1986). Other Florida-bred winners of the Breeders’ Cup Sprint include Cherokee Run in 1994 and Big Drama in 2007.
Return to the October 25 issue of Wire to Wire
