When it came to seven furlongs sprinting in California, the specialist proved best in the Grade 1 $300,000 Malibu Stakes Dec. 26 at Santa Anita. Raging Torrent, a proven stakes winner at seven furlongs, defeated a field that included several who prefer longer distances, including 2024 Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve winner Mystik Dan.

Mystik Dan was making his celebrated comeback after competing in all three 2024 Triple Crown events. The opening day Santa Anita crowd eagerly flocked to the paddock and walking ring to see him.

"That's him!" one fan shouted to his friend as they watched Mystik Dan stride by.

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The first Derby winner to compete in the Malibu since Silver Charm in 1997, Mystik Dan hadn't tried a one-turn race since the fall of his 2-year-old season in 2023. In both of his prior sprints – at Keeneland and Churchill Downs – he was right on the pace.

California speed is different, however, and when the gate opened in the Malibu, Mystik Dan broke in fourth behind Stronghold, Pilot Commander, and Imagination who are all veterans of the SoCal circuit. Mystik Dan never could get into the race and ultimately finished eight lengths last in the six-horse field.

Raging Torrent, ridden by Frankie Dettori and favored at 5-2, came away from the gate in fifth but stepped right into the fray. He soon was racing on even terms with Pilot Commander, who set the early fractions of :22.19 for the first quarter-mile and :44.29 for a half-mile.

Into the turn, Raging Torrent challenged the leader, taking command in upper stretch. Stronghold was rallying, but Raging Torrent had plenty left to hold him off and scored by 1 1/4 lengths, stopping the timer in 1:21.54. Stronghold, winner of the Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby and seventh behind Mystik Dan in the Kentucky Derby, finished second while a half-length in front of third-place Imagination.

Trainer Doug O'Neill, who has won two Kentucky Derbies himself with Nyquist and I'll Have Another, won his first Malibu with Raging Torrent. Earlier on the card O'Neill also won the Grade 2 Laffit Pincay Jr. Stakes with J B Strikes Back.

"It's a Grade 1, so that is just priceless," O'Neill said. "It's for 3-year-olds only – last one of the year – and just a great way to start the meet. I'm speechless right now."

Raging Torrent, owned by Mark Davis and Great Friends Stable, demonstrated his affinity for seven furlongs when he captured a May 24 allowance/optional claiming race and the June 30 Maxfield Stakes at Churchill Downs. He added a win in the Aug. 24 Grade 2 Pat O'Brien Stakes going seven furlongs at Del Mar.

Johannes, Kopion, She Feels Pretty, Flavien Prat Headline Opening Day Stakes

Santa Anita held five other graded stakes on its opening-day Dec. 26 card. To headline the other action, jockey Flavien Prat set a new North American record with 56 graded stakes wins during a calendar year when he guided odds-on favorite King of Gosford to a wire-to-wire, one-length score in the Mathis Mile Stakes on turf. Prat broke Jerry Bailey’s previous record of 55 with the victory.

Johannes glides back to the winner's circle. (Eclipse Sportswire)

In other races, West Coast standout Johannes bounced back from a good runner-up effort in the FanDuel Breeders’ Cup Mile Presented by PDJF to win the 1 1/8-mile San Gabriel Stakes by three-quarters of a length, finishing up his 2024 campaign with a sterling 5-for-6 record, all in stakes races. In the seven-furlong La Brea Stakes Presented by Don Julio for 3-year-old fillies, Kopion posted a huge upset in her first start since early April, powering clear in the stretch under Kazushi Kimura. The Richard Mandella trainee romped by 2 ¾ lengths at 37.70-1 odds and won her third race in five career starts. 

Three-year-old fillies on turf took center stage in the American Oaks, and one in particular, She Feels Pretty, cemented her status as the best in her age group with an emphatic win in the  1 ¼-mile race as the heavy favorite. The American Oaks tally followed a similarly impressive score in the Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup Stakes Presented by Dixiana in October and capped off a breakthrough 2024 for trainer Cherie DeVaux.

To kick off the stakes sequence, 3-year-old J B Strikes Back stole the headlines from stablemate and post-time favorite Katonah by scoring a 16.40-1 upset over second betting choice Tarantino in the Laffit Pincay Jr. Stakes. That race, formerly named the San Antonio Stakes, made its debut on the card with a new name honoring Hall of Fame jockey Laffit Pincay Jr., Santa Anita’s all-time winningest rider.