Let’s rewind to the magic at Santa Anita on 26th December, when Frankie Dettori’s prodigy powered home to win the $200,000 Malibu Stakes by 1 1/4 lengths. The 3-year-old prodigy blazed through seven furlongs in a slick 1:21.54, much to the delight of the home fans, whose number was 41,562. As the 5-2 favorite, he lived up to the hype and was rewarded with $7.20 for the win, thus proving trainer Doug O’Neill right. “We really thought going into it we were the best horse,” O’Neill shared, his pride shining brighter than the California sun. “Just watching him day in, day out, he was training out of this world.” Meanwhile, Mystik Dan, who won the Kentucky Derby, stirred a different kind of surprise by coming in last in the final Grade 1 stakes race in this year’s America.

Wondering who it was? Knock Knock! It is Raging Torrent! But guess what? That day was not only a rehearsal of obvious victories—O’Neill’s playbook held a twist. In addition to Raging Torrent’s consistent brilliance, J B Strikes Back provided a stunning upset earlier in the program to win the Grade 2 Laffit Pincay Jr. Stakes by a commanding front run from start to finish. For Raging Torrent, however, this was a statement win. After a stumble in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint, O’Neill is convinced seven furlongs is his sweet spot, calling it his “best distance, anything one-turn over six furlongs.” And now? The sprinting sensation seems ready for an exciting new chapter, leaving Mystik Dan and the rest of the field in his dust.

Mystik Dan’s rival off for the next adventure

Well, with that game plan in mind, it appears that Raging Torrent’s 2025 debut might be as impressive as his Malibu Stakes victory. As reported by ‘attheraces,’ word is he’s gearing up for the Group 2 Godolphin Mile at Meydan Racecourse in Dubai on April 5—a $1 million race on a modern one-turn track. Trainer Doug O’Neill appears to be very comfortable with the long layoff leading into the race, confident that Raging Torrent doesn’t need to run often to show out. “We’re trying to find good spots for him,” O’Neill shared. “There is no need to run him just to run him. He gives you 100 percent. He’ll be fit and ready for wherever we go.” As long as he has Mark Davis and the Great Friends Stable to back him up, this sprinter’s future looks as bright as the skyline of Dubai.

Not that the Malibu Stakes was an ordinary race, by any means. Raging Torrent signed up a star cast, and the last one to join was Mystik Dan, the Kentucky Derby winner of 2024. However, the showpiece encounter was disappointing for Mystik Dan’s followers, as Mystik Dan finished in the rear of the six-strong field at 3-1 second favorite. It was Mystik Dan’s first race since Belmont Stakes at Saratoga in June, and he never looked comfortable on the track. In the meantime, Raging Torrent took the stakes to be his playpen, and it is possible that seven furlongs is his cup of tea.

But O’Neill wasn’t done surprising us. J B Strikes Back, one of his other charges, has been turning heads lately. “He’s like a kid. Instead of doing his homework, he’s at the local park hanging out,” O’Neill quipped. “He didn’t really apply himself. He has in the last three races.” With the new-found focus, J B Strikes Back is scheduled for the Grade 2 San Pasqual Stakes, a 1 1/8 distance at Santa Anita on January 25. As for Mystik Dan, the former Derby king has been through some of the most dramatic finishes in racing history, but this upset from Raging Torrent might’ve been a tough pill to swallow.

The most dramatic finish at the Kentucky Derby

The 150th Kentucky Derby in May 2024 gave us an edge-of-your-seat finish with ‘three noses’ deciding it at the wire. The 18-1 long shot, Mystik Dan, was able to get through a very small opening on the rail to win by a neck at the wire over Sierra Leone and Forever Young in what many are calling the greatest photo finish in the history of the race. “When he shot through that spot, he was able to cut the corner and I asked him to go for it,” jockey Brian Hernandez said. “He shot off, and I’m like, ‘Oh man, I’ve got a big chance to win the Kentucky Derby.’” The review came down to the wire before Mystik Dan was declared the winner and etched his name in the Derby annals.

The stretch run was wild, with Mystik Dan brushing the rail so close Hernandez joked, “But I think we can buy another pair of boots.” Sierra Leone and Forever Young pressed hard but could not reel him in. Trainer Kenny McPeek was absolutely ecstatic, and rightfully so, as he just won the Kentucky Oaks with Thorpedo Anna. Mystik Dan’s working-class roots made the win even sweeter. “We’ve done it with what I call a working-class horse,” McPeek said. “To see your number flash up to win the Derby, I don’t think it will sink in for a while.”

For breeders Lance and Brent Gasaway, it was a dream come true. “It is surreal for sure,” said Sharilyn Gasaway. “We feel like we’re just ordinary people, and we’ve got an amazing horse.” Mystik Dan’s win wasn’t just a race—it was a moment straight out of a movie, proving long shots can steal the spotlight.