BY BROCK SHERIDAN
Florida-bred 2025 Horse of the Year Bentornato, winner of last year’s $1.84 million Cygames Breeders’ Cup Sprint (Grade 1) at Del Mar, put in his final serious preparation for an expected rematch with last year’s Eclipse Award Champion Sprinter Book ‘em Danno in the $400,000 True North (Grade 3) for 4-year-olds and older going six-and-a-half furlongs at Saratoga Race Course on June 6. The two accomplished sprinters met for the first and only time in February of 2024 going 1,600 meters (about one mile) in the Group 3 Boutique Group Saudi Derby at King Abdulaziz Race Course in Riyadh. The US$1.5 million Saudi Derby was won by Forever Young (Jpn) with Book’em Danno second while Bentornato was third.
Bentornato was also second to Book’em Danno in the balloting for last year Sprint Championship honors.
Bentornato worked four furlongs in :48.40 at Churchill Downs, the 34th fastest work among 132 at the distance under the twin spires on Saturday morning.
Bentornato is trained by Jose D’Angelo for Angel Lozano of Miami, Florida in the name of his Leon King Stable Corp., and Michael and Julia C. Iavarone, also of Miami. Since his victory in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint, the 5-year-old son of Bridlewood Farm’s Valiant Minister has one start, a second to Dark Saffron in the Group 1 Dubai Golden Shaheen sponsored by Nakheel at Meydan Racecourse in Dubai on March 28.
Bentornato is out of Her Special Way, by Put It Back and was bred in Florida by Charles and Susan Chu’s Tanma Corp., based in North Andover, Maryland. He has a careerrecord of seven wins, three seconds and two thirds in 12 starts with earnings of $2,722,180.
