By Steve Sherack
DEL MAR, Calif. – Bentornato (Valiant Minister) avenged his too-good-to-lose second at last year's Championships with a powerful, front-running performance in Saturday's GI Breeders' Cup Sprint at Del Mar.
Imagination (Into Mischief) just held off Dr. Venkman (Ghostzapper) for second. Last year's Sprint winner Straight No Chaser (Speightster) tired to seventh.
The 8-5 favorite provided back-to-back Breeders' Cup winners for trainer Jose D'Angelo and jockey Irad Ortiz, Jr., who also teamed up for a popular win with 'TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard' Shisospicy (Mitole) one race earlier on the program in the Turf Sprint.
“So happy to stand here again,” D'Angelo said after saddling his second career winner at the Championships. “We prepared these two horses all year round to have them ready for today and it worked perfectly. We think about all the small details, like the travel and everything. They figured it out and they showed up today. I am just grateful to God to stand here.”
Bentornato shot out to the front from his wide draw and was hounded to his outside by Straight No Chaser through wicked fractions of :21.48 and :44.14. He kicked for home with authority and left his old rival in the dust, winning by 2 1/4 lengths while stopping the timer for six furlongs in a sharp 1:08.20.
Winner of last term's GII Gallant Bob S. at Parx, the Florida-bred lined up only once since his gutsy effort in the 2024 Sprint, airing in Churchill's Louisville Thoroughbred Society S. Sept. 13 with a career-high 108 Beyer Speed Figure.
“All we wanted was a clean break, and after that, I let him be, let him be him,” Ortiz, Jr. said of his 23rd career Breeders' Cup winner. “He can use that speed, natural speed. He's a nice horse. I had Straight No Chaser right beside me. And, he just got beat by a (half length) by that horse (last year). So, I just tried to ride him with confidence.”
A 25% interest in Bentornato brought $1 million from Michael and Jules Iavarone at the Keeneland Championship Sale held in the Del Mar paddock Wednesday evening. Angel Lozano's Leon King Stable Corp. remains the 4-year-old's majority owner.
“We knew he was ready,” said Iavarone, the former frontman of the now-defunct IEAH Stables. “How many times in life do you get to buy into the Breeders' Cup favorite four or five days before?”
D'Angelo added that Bentornato will be aimed at next year's G2 Riyadh Dirt Sprint and G1 Dubai Golden Shaheen, both held in the Middle East. He finished third behind Saturday's GI Breeders' Cup Classic winner Forever Young (Jpn) (Real Steel {Jpn}) in last year's G3 Saudi Derby.
“He really likes it over there,” D'Angelo said.
Pedigree Notes:
Bentornato is the lone graded winner for Florida stallion Valiant Minister, who stands at Bridlewood Farm in Ocala. Valiant Minister, a $680,000 OBS June breezer, won his lone career start for Baoma Corp and Bob Baffert at Santa Anita in 2017. Bentornato's dam two-time winner Her Special Way (Put It Back) RNA'd for $120,000 at the 2025 Keeneland January Sale. She had a filly by Oscar Performance this year and was bred back to Girvin. Bentornato went through the ring twice in Ocala, bringing $45,000 as an OBS October yearling and $170,000 as an OBS March juvenile.
“Donato Lanni loved him and he's part of this horse, too,” D'Angelo said in these pages in a profile earlier this year. “The owner decided to pinhook him-we bought him for $45,000 (OBS October yearling) and they sold him for $170,000 (OBS March 2-year-old). The buyers returned the horse though, so that's why he's named Bentornato. It means welcome back in Italian.”
Blink and you'll miss it! 👀 Bentornato races to victory in the @Cygames #BreedersCup Sprint!
Congrats to the connections!
J: Irad Ortiz, Jr.
T: Jose Francisco D'Angelo
O: Leon King Stable Corp.
B: Tanma Corp pic.twitter.com/CnLaoskVPj— Breeders' Cup (@BreedersCup) November 1, 2025
Saturday, Del Mar
CYGAMES BREEDERS' CUP SPRINT-GI, $1,840,000, Del Mar, 11-1, 3yo/up, 6f, 1:08.20, ft.
1–BENTORNATO, 126, r, 4, by Valiant Minister
1st Dam: Her Special Way, by Put It Back
2nd Dam: Inaspecial Way, by Seattle Sleet
3rd Dam: Special Image, by Farma Way
1ST GRADE I WIN. ($45,000 Ylg '22 OBSOCT; $170,000 2yo '23 OBSMAR; $1,000,000 4yo '25 KEECHA). O-Leon King Stable Corp and Iavarone, Michael and Julia C.; B-Tanma Corp. (FL); T-Jose Francisco D'Angelo; J-Irad Ortiz, Jr.. $1,040,000. Lifetime Record: 11-7-2-2, $2,322,180. Werk Nick Rating: A+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree or free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Imagination, 126, c, 4, Into Mischief–Magical Feeling, by Empire Maker. ($1,050,000 Ylg '22 KEESEP). O-SF Racing LLC, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables LLC, Stonestreet Stables LLC, Bashor, Dianne, Masterson, Robert E., Waves Edge Capital LLC, Donovan, Catherine and Ryan, Tom J.; B-Peter E. Blum Thoroughbreds, LLC (KY); T-Bob Baffert. $340,000.
3–Dr. Venkman, 126, g, 5, Ghostzapper–Theory of Change, by Archarcharch. 1ST G1 BLACK TYPE. ($105,000 Ylg '21 KEESEP). O-Alipony Racing, Agnew, Dan J., Bunch, Clint and Hailey, James; B-Ghostzapper Syndicate & Hidden Brook Farm (KY); T-Mark Glatt. $180,000.
Margins: 2 1/4, NO, 2. Odds: 1.70, 8.00, 39.70.
Also Ran: American Stage, Kopion, Lovesick Blues, Straight No Chaser, Big City Lights, Nakatomi, Mullikin, Whatchatalkinabout, Banishing, Patriot Spirit, Mad House. Scratched: Valiant Force.
Click for the Equibase.com chart or the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.
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