“IT only takes one.” That’s a statement often told to racehorse owners when they haven’t yet found their “horse of a lifetime”. For Craig Dado, owner of the 18-year-old Great Friends Stable, that kind of horse was long overdue until one race on Kentucky Derby Day 2024 changed everything.
Raging Torrent, owned by Dado in partnership with Yuesheng Zhang, crushed a stakes-quality field in a first-level allowance at Churchill Downs.
A string of victories followed, with the now four-year-old son of Maximus Mischief winning the Maxfield, the Grade 2 Pat O’Brien and the Grade 1 Malibu last year for trainer Doug O’Neill. But it’s his most recent victory, Saturday’s Grade 1 $1 million Hill ‘N’ Dale Metropolitan Handicap at Saratoga, that makes Dado feel like he’s living a dream.
“Crazy,” he said. “The Great Friends Stable that I run is just a little, kind of a claiming stable out of Del Mar. We were lucky enough to get a nice horse who’s won some good races. Next thing you know, we win the Met Mile. It’s a little surreal, so we’re thrilled.”
Returning from an April victory in Dubai in the Group 2 Godolphin Mile, Raging Torrent broke quickest of all in the prestigious mile event and took the early lead over a stacked field that included champion Fierceness, 2023 Breeders’ Cup Classic winner White Abarrio and up-and-comer Just A Touch. Able to set an easy first quarter-mile fraction of :23.92 for Frankie Dettori, Raging Torrent led Fierceness by just under a length through the backstretch.
Winning attitude
When Fierceness and John Velazquez rallied alongside Raging Torrent rounding the far turn, however, Dado prepared to accept a runner-up finish. Raging Torrent was far from finished. Turning for home, Dettori asked his colt to go, and Raging Torrent responded by repelling the bid from Fierceness and opening the margin back up to come home two and a half lengths in front. Winning the Met Mile guarantees Raging Torrent a spot in the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile this year.
“I would’ve been thrilled with second, but we know that Torrent is a fighter,” Dado said. “I knew he’d try to battle back. I didn’t think he’d put him away. Like my God, what just happened? It’s crazy. Fierceness probably went by him a little bit, and he (Raging Torrent) looked him in the eye and he said, ‘I don’t think so’. That’s crazy. Fierceness is arguably the best horse in the world. I don’t even know what to say.”
Dettori was delighted with the trip he got aboard Raging Torrent, who completed the mile in 1:35.89. Fierceness ended up second, ahead of Just A Touch, White Abarrio and Castle Chaos.
“I knew I could get to the bend first because he used to be a sprinter,” said the jockey. “It was just about trying to manage his speed. Johnny was clever, he took me on at the three-eighths. This horse has such a big heart. I was in the lap of the gods to get to the line, but I did.”
The Met Mile dates to 1891 and counts among its previous winners racing legends Kelso, Forego, Native Dancer, Tom Fool, Stymie and the more modern-day Ghostzapper, Flightline and Cody’s Wish.
Additional reporting by Joe Clancy.