Reigning Kentucky Derby champion Mystik Dan was last in the field of six in the $300,000 Grade One Malibu Stakes as Santa Anita Park began its 90th anniversary season Thursday with graded stakes races on the 11-race card.
Mystik Dan was never a factor in his first start since finishing eighth in the Belmont Stakes, the third jewel of thoroughbred racing’s triple crown, June 8. Mystik Dan was near the back of the pack throughout the seven-furlong race for 3-year-olds on the south track.
“He broke good, but it just seemed like we were always chasing,” jockey Brian Hernandez Jr. said. “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.”
Raging Torrent, the 5-2 favorite, took the lead at the top of the stretch and won by 1 1/4 lengths over Santa Anita Derby winner Stronghold for his second stakes victory in his 12-race career. The bay colt also won the seven-furlong Pat O’Brien Stakes Aug. 24 at Del Mar.
`The horse was doing so well and threw such a great pose,” trainer Doug 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.”
Raging Torrent paid $7.20, $4.00 and $2.80. Stronghold paid $4.40 and $3.20 to place and Imagination $3.20 to show.
Raging Torrent earned $180,000 for the victory, increasing his career earnings to $667,400.
The card also included two other Grade 1 $300,000 stakes races — the La Brea Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at seven furlongs and the American Oaks for 3-year-old fillies at 1 1/4 miles on turf.
There were also three $200,000 Grade 2 stakes races — the Laffit Pincay Jr. Stakes for 3-year-olds and up at 1 1/16 miles; the San Gabriel Stakes for 3-year-olds and up at a 1 1/8 miles on turf; and the Mathis Mile Stakes for 3-year-olds on turf.