BY BROCK SHERIDAN
Bentornato, winner of the $1.84 million Cygames Breeders’ Cup Sprint (Grade 1) in his last race, worked Saturday morning at Palm Meadows Training Center in preparation for the $2 million Dubai Golden Shaheen (Group 1) at Meydan Racecourse in Dubai on March 28.
Trained by Jose D’Angelo for Leon King Stable Corp, Julia C. and Michael Iavarone, Bentornato clocked a half mile in :49.45, the 11th fastest breeze among 52 at the distance Saturday morning. It was his third work in three weeks since resuming training after the Breeders’ Cup. He worked three furlongs in :37.30 on January 17 and the same distance in :38.35 last Saturday.
“I’m very happy with the workout. He worked great,” D’Angelo said. “We have a couple more works planned before we go to Dubai but everything is going the way that we want. I’m very happy with everything I’m seeing.
“We are leaving for Dubai on March 14, so we have a couple more workouts.”
A two-and-a-half-length winner of the six-furlong Breeders’ Cup Sprint at Del Mar on November 1, Bentornato was a finalist for an Eclipse Award as Champion Male Sprinter in 2025. He lost out to multiple graded stakes-winner Book ‘em Danno, who he may face in Dubai.
It would be the first meeting between the accomplished sprinters since the one mile, $1.5 million Boutique Group Saudi Derby (G3) won by Forever Young (Jpn) at King Abdulaziz Racecourse in February of 2024. Book ‘em Danno was second and Bentornato was third.
Prior to winning the Breeder Cup Sprint, Bentornato had one other start last year, a five-and-a-half-length score in the $267,500 Louisville Thoroughbred Society (Listed) at Churchill Downs on September 13.
Bentornato is by Bridlewood Farm’s Valiant Minister out of Her Special Way, by Put It Back and was bred in Florida by Tanma Corp. A winner of seven of 11 career starts with two seconds and two thirds, the 5-year-old ridgling has earned $2,322,180. Other notable victories on his ledger are the 2024 Gallant Bob (G2) at Parx Racing, and the $100,000 Dr. Fager and $200,000 Affirmed, the first and second legs of the male division 2023 Florida Thoroughbred Breeders’ and Owners’ Association Florida Sire Stakes at Gulfstream.
Return to the January 31 issue of Wire to Wire
