Bentornato's Sprint Win the Second for D'Angelo at BC

In the space of 50 minutes, trainer Jose D'Angelo cemented his place in the history of Breeders' Cup and Thoroughbred racing. He won back-to-back Breeders' Cup races, first with Shisospicy in the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint (G1T) and then with Bentornato in the Breeders' Cup Sprint (G1) Nov. 1 at Del Mar. "I don't know what's going on here," said an amazed D'Angelo. "In two days, when I wake up, I'm going to feel everything." Bentornato had telegraphed his readiness with a spectacular comeback race in the Sept. 13 Louisville Thoroughbred Society Stakes at Churchill Downs. It impressed a host of handicappers, who picked him to win the Sprint despite the presence of last year's winner, Straight No Chaser, and several with much more seasoning during the year. The handicappers and the bettors were not wrong. They backed Bentornato down to 17-10 favoritism in the field of 14, and he performed up to all expectations. With Irad Ortiz Jr. in the saddle, Bentornato broke in second and went right to the front in the 6-furlong Sprint. He blazed through a first quarter-mile in :21.48 and a half-mile in :44.14, with Straight No Chaser a half-length behind at both markers. Those fractions might have looked like fodder for closers, and a few certainly tried. But they couldn't get close to Bentornato. By the stretch, Bentornato had a 2-length lead over Japanese-raced American Stage, as Imagination and longshot Dr. Venkman came running. They couldn't close the gap, though, and Bentornato hit the wire 2 1/4 lengths in front in 1:08.20. Imagination finished a nose ahead of Dr. Venkman in second, and it was another two lengths back to American Stage in fourth. Leon King Stable owned 100% of Bentornato until three days before the race. At the Keeneland Championship Sale Oct. 29 at Del Mar, Michael and Jules Iavarone paid $1 million for a 25% interest in the 4-year-old ridgling. "I'd liked this horse for a while," Michael Iavarone said. "I did reach out to Jose to try to buy him privately. We weren't able to make a deal then, but he came back and said the horse was going to go through the sale for a fractional ownership." This wasn't the first time Bentornato had impressed people in the Breeders' Cup. Last year as a 3-year-old, he finished second to Straight No Chaser by only a half-length. Following that race, D'Angelo trained him at Santa Anita Park for the Dec. 26 Malibu Stakes (G1). "When I worked him at Santa Anita, he definitely improved after the Breeders' Cup," D'Angelo said. Unfortunately, Bentornato had to miss that race due to a hoof issue. D'Angelo gave him plenty of time, which turned into even longer because of a splint problem. The setbacks kept Bentornato from getting more than the one Breeders' Cup prep, but he made the most of the opportunity, crushing his competition in the 6-furlong Churchill race by 5 1/4 lengths. D'Angelo, a native of Caracas, Venezuela, has plenty of experience. His father, Francisco, was a three-time champion trainer in Venezuela and switched to training in Florida in 2015. Jose's grandfather was a turf writer and handicapper. Jose attended the racing school in Venezuela required of aspiring trainers, and in 2014 he won Venezuela's Clasico Simon Bolivar (a local group 1) with Dreaming of Gold. He continues to work with his father in this country, saying, "He helps me with my horses and I help him with his horses because we're a team." Prior to Bentornato and Shisospicy, the younger D'Angelo's trainees have included Jesus' Team, who finished second in the 2020 Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile (G1) and 2021 Pegasus World Cup Invitational Stakes (G1) and third in the 2020 Preakness Stakes (G1). When Iavarone bought into Bentornato, that marked the third time the son of Valiant Minister—Her Special Way, by Put It Back, had sold at public auction. Bred in Florida by Tanma Corp., Bentornato brought $45,000 at the 2022 Ocala Breeders' Sales October Yearling Sale and $170,000 at the 2023 OBS March Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training, the latter to Champion Equine. Her Special Way is a winning half sister to Canadian stakes-placed Forbidden Bear. Before Bentornato got to the races, Her Special Way sold for $4,000 in 2016 and $2,500 in 2022. At this year's Keeneland January Horses of All Ages Sale, she was a $120,000 RNA when in foal to Oscar Performance. Bentornato is the first grade 1 winner for Valiant Minister, whose 2025 runners also include stakes-placed Iron Hand, and he has earlier sired stakes winners such as Outfoxed and Loco Abarrio. A son of Candy Ride (ARG), Valiant Minister started only once, winning that race. He is listed to stand for a 2026 stud fee of $4,000 at Bridlewood Farm near Ocala, Fla.