After running for a combined $2 million in his last two races in West Virginia and Saudi Arabia, it made all the sense in the world that Bentornato would appear in a $400,000 stakes in Pennsylvania.
After a second and third in those races, it also was logical that jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. would follow him to Bensalem, Pa., and that played a huge role in the Florida-bred son of Valiant Minister earning his initial graded stakes win.
Under a hustling and aggressive ride by the five-time Eclipse Award winner, Bentornato dueled for the early lead from the rail and then fended off a determined stretch bid from 17-1 longshot Sunny Breeze to record a neck victory in the $400,000 Gallant Bob Stakes (G2) for 3-year-olds Sept. 21 at Parx Racing.
Owned by Leon King Stable, Bentornato started his 3-year-old campaign for trainer Jose D'Angelo with a third behind the victorious Forever Young after setting the pace in the $1.5 million Saudi Derby (G3) and then traveled to Hollywood Casino At Charles Town Races for a second in the Aug. 23 in the $500,000 Robert Hilton Memorial Stakes, putting him on edge for a big effort in Saturday's six-furlong stakes.
Bred by Tanma, Bentornato broke quickly from the rail and dueled for the lead with Sunny Breeze and Alwaysintomischief through an opening quarter-mile in :22.01.
The trio remained locked together until they passed the quarter pole and Alwaysintomischief weakened.
Meanwhile, Bentornato and Sunny Breeze continued to battle in a two-horse duel to the wire with Sunny Breeze taking a short lead in midstretch before the even-money favorite ($4) gamely surged to the front late and crossed the line in 1:09.92.
"That wasn't easy. It was a fight from the beginning to the end, from gate to wire," Ortiz said. "He (Sunny Breeze) was a tough customer. I had to work hard to make the lead going to the quarter pole, then hold it. That other horse was fighting. My horse did a great job, he fought back."
Stonehedge's Sunny Breeze, a son of Cajun Breeze trained by Edward Allard, was second by a length over Buccherino, a Bucchero colt trained by Alfredo Velazquez and owned by Happy Tenth Stable.
Out of the Put It Back mare Her Special Way, Bentornato is the fifth of her seven foals and lone stakes winner. She also has a 2-year-old full brother to the Gallant Bob winner and a yearling filly by Saketini.
An earner of $791,830 and winner of five of eight starts, Bentornato was bought for $170,000 by agent Champion Equine from the Golden Rock Thoroughbreds consignment at the 2023 Ocala Breeders' March Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training.
