Santa Anita commenced with its traditional opening day on December 26, the crowd size was over 41,000 which showed to be the highest attendance for a non-weekend opening. The crowd was very jubilant that was witness to the traditional opening day saw stake races that included the running of the Laffit Pincay Jr. Stakes (Grade II) San Gabriel Stakes (Grade II) Mathis Mile Stakes (Grade II) and the La Brea Stakes (Grade I) with the highlight of the day being the Malibu Stakes (Grade I).
Opening Day – Santa Antia 12-26-2024 – Credit: Nancy Wilkinson
The Malibu did not disappoint, and a brilliant performance was put on by the Doug O ‘Neill trained Raging Torrent, just before the gates opened all seemed very settled and the race came off to a beautiful start, Ragging Torrent ended up going off as the post time favorite at 5-2. He was ridden by the charismatic Frankie Dettori.
The Malibu winner Ragging Torrent is owned by Mark Davis and Great Friends Stable partnership. This grade one victory became very sweet indeed for team O’Neill in that this marks the last straight Grade I event for straight three-year-olds and the last for the 2024 racing season, and this makes for a nice way for team O’Neill to head off into the last of 2024 and into the 2025 season ahead.
Ragging Torrent seems to have the Midas touch going when it comes to 7-furlong distance, very much like he accomplished with an allowance race on May 24th and won the June 30th Maxfied stakes at the renowned Churchill Downs. He also added the Pat O’ Brien to his resume at Del Mar on August 24th. The 7-furlong distance very much seems to be to Ragging Torrents likening and has shown he can travel out of state and do the same result.
Raging Torrent runs to the 2024 Malibu Stakes Title – Credit: Nancy Wilkinson
Ragging Torrent beat a stellar field that ended up being down to 6 horses after the defections of Bentornaton for Jose Francisco D’Angelo and Senior Officer for Brad Cox leaving the field down to to the six remaining talented horses, but did not demesne anything the field was still strong, that also brought west the Kentucky Derby Champ Mystik Dan to give it a try, and it was a safe bet a lot of fans were excited to see him. for most it was their first time seeing a Derby champ in the flesh.
For whatever reason, Mystik Dan did not show up, he was clearly not on his A game, he broke well from the gate but it seemed like he was not perhaps taking a hold of the track, even though he seemed to glide over the Santa Anita dirt well during his works, as it saw the disappointment for some saw Mystik Dan finish last in the 6 horse field, it just was not the Derby champs day , they all seem to experience it but you just hope not on a grade I day , perhaps the cut back just was not to his liking, good horses have those days.
Ragging Torrent rallied the win what he has shown prior, and a strong showing was by the Phil D’Amato trained Stronghold second followed by the Bob Baffert trio of Imagination, Pilot Commander, Winterfell, in that order with the Deby Champ Mystik Dan for Kenny Mc Peek. Raging Torrent is out of Maximus Mischief -Violentwave by Violence. Final time for the 7 furlongs was 1:25.54.
Jockey Frankie Dettori celebrates the Malibu Stakes – Credit: Nancy Wilkinson
