Trainer Jose D’Angelo is having a great time again at Del Mar.

He arrived in San Diego with two solid contenders for their respective Breeders’ Cup races:  Shisospicy in the five-furlong Prevagen Turf Sprint and Bentornato in the six-furlong Cygames Sprint. Second to Straight No Chaser in the 2024 Breeders’ Cup Sprint, Bentornato returns to Del Mar for D’Angelo with the winner’s circle in their sights, a victory that would fulfill another dream the Venezuelan native has, dreams that brought him to the United States in 2019.

Trainer Jose D'Angelo (Anne M. Eberhardt/BloodHorse)

“Breeders Cup, all these races, are the things that we saw on TV,” D’Angelo explained. “And I said, ‘I hope one day to go there just to watch.’ Now we are competing here.”  

The son of Francisco D’Angelo, himself an award-winning trainer in Venezuela, Jose D’Angelo had been successful in his native country, winning the Gran Premio Clásico Simón Bolívar, the country’s most important stakes, with Dreaming of Gold in 2014.  

The Florida-based trainer already has seen his share of opportunities at the highest levels since shifting his shingle to America. He found success with former claimer Jesus’ Team in 2020. The son of Tapiture was a 3-year-old during the COVID-changed Triple Crown season, finishing third in the Jim Dandy Stakes at Saratoga, third in the Preakness Stakes, and then second to Knicks Go in the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile. D’Angelo was briefly on the Kentucky Derby trail with Sam F. Davis Stakes winner No More Time in 2024 and took Bentornato that year to the Middle East for the one-mile Saudi Derby. Third behind Forever Young, the Valiant Minister ridgeling subsequently returned to sprints, winning the six-furlong Gallant Bob at Parx Racing before shipping west for his runner-up finish behind Straight No Chaser.

Back for a second try in the 2025 Sprint, Bentornato has started only once since last year’s Breeders’ Cup, a 5 ¼-length win in the Louisville Thoroughbred Society Stakes Sept. 13 at Churchill Downs. Even with the ten-month gap between starts, D’Angelo is confident that the colt is ready for Saturday.

Louisville Thoroughbred Society Stakes winner’s circle celebration (Coady Media)

“We were supposed to run in the Malibu [Stakes] last year, but we scratched him and gave him time off. He got some bone bruises. After that, when he was training again, he got a little splint that was bothering him,” D’Angelo said. “I had to train him from zero two times. I had go step by step to have him ready for the Breeders Cup.”

With plans to take him back to Saudi Arabia in the spring, owner Angel Lozano, who races under the stable name Leon King Stable Corp., sold 25% fractional interest in the colt, who has earned $1,282,180, at the Keeneland Championship Sale at Del Mar Oct. 29. That share sold for $1 million to Michael and Jules Iavarone.

Iavarone’s involvement in the sport dates back to 2003, including racing 2008 Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner Big Brown.

“We’re really excited,” Iavarone said. “He’s a beautiful horse – 17 hands and really super-fast. I’ve been trying to get a horse with Jose forever, so he knew that I was on this horse.”

Bentornato has recorded four workouts since his victory at Churchill Downs, including an Oct. 18 breeze at Keeneland, where he went five furlongs in 1:00. The dark bay colt seems primed for a sensational turn again at Del Mar, with D’Angelo positive that his charge is ready to run.

Bentornato's stakes win Sept. 13 at Churchill Downs (Coady Media)

“I'm very confident in him. He’s grown, matured. He's a different horse,” the trainer said. “I'm sure that definitely he’s going to be tough on Saturday here.”

As for D’Angelo himself, the years since his move from Venezuela to United States have been rewarding ones.

“I feel very grateful and blessed to God. I have to be grateful for my team, my family, and my horses, my owners, because it was an amazing journey to arrive here on 2019 with tons of dreams, expectations … hungry to win all the races and do our best. We are on an amazing journey.”

With Bentornato the morning-line favorite for the Sprint, D’Angelo has a solid chance to add another accolade to his resume: Breeders’ Cup winner.