Kentucky-bred Raging Torrent finished best of all to win the $300,000 Malibu Stakes (G1) at Santa Anita on opening day, Dec. 26.
Sent off as the race favorite in a compact field of six, Raging Torrent pursued the early pace from second early in the seven-furlong fixture. Ridden by Lanfranco Dettori for trainer Doug O’Neill, Raging Torrent bid two wide on the far turn and took over command in upper stretch. He kept to task through the lane to score by 1 ¼ lengths at the finish. The bay 3-year-old colt stopped the timer in 1:21.54. Santa Anita Derby (G1) winner Stronghold finished second and Imagination finished third.
“Doug told me my horse was in good shape,” Dettori said. “We had a perfect distance, a good post, and he was right. He was very tough today.”
Raging Torrent: Two-Time Graded Winner
Bred in Kentucky by Rodney Winkler and Alfonsa Mazzetti, Raging Torrent is owned by Great Friends Stables and Mark Davis. Raging Torrent is a son of Maximus Mischief out of the Violence mare Violent Wave. He has now banked $667,400 and boasts a record of 12-5-1-2. It was the second graded stakes victory for Raging Torrent. He captured the Pat O’Brien Stakes (G2) over the summer at Del Mar. Most recently, the O’Neill trainee finished seventh in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint (G1).
“You know, the horse was doing so well and threw such a great pose,” O’Neill said. “We knew this is a perfect distance, so we were so optimistic. But in this sport, a lot of times you’re optimistic and you go home with a flat balloon. But he ran a race that we had dreamed of and just so happy and proud.”
Kentucky Derby (G1) winner Mystik Dan shipped to Santa Anita for the Malibu, finishing last in the six-horse field.
“He broke good, but it just seemed like we were always chasing,” said jockey Brian Hernandez Jr. “I think shortening up took away from him. After running a mile and a quarter, it is tough to go back to seven-eighths. The horse is fine.”