(Raging Torrent / Photos by Holly M. Smith)
From the Churchill Downs Press Team / Darren Rogers and Kevin Kerstein:
RAGING TORRENT RETURNS FROM CALIFORNIA TO TAKE A MAXFIELD OF 175,000 DOLLARS
Mark Davis'Invader from Southern California Raging torrent broke the fast from the door and rejected the late challenges of Otto the Conqueror and World record to decisively win Sunday's third edition of the $173,700 Maxfield Overnight Stakes at Churchill Downs by 2 ยผ lengths.
Maxfield Quotes
Antonio Fresu (rider, Raging Torrent, winner): โHe is a very fast horse and in the last corner I was able to let him relax a little. In the pivot room I was able to ask him again to relax and he fought hard throughout the entire stretch not to let any other horse pass.โ
Doug O'Neill (trainer, Raging Torrent, winner): โIt's a beautiful day to be able to win a big race at Churchill Downs. On Derby day, Antonio Fresu said the track was a little faster than today. In today's race, Antonio was able to give him a good break mid-race and I think that really made a difference. It is very versatile, whether on dirt or grass.โ
Tyler Gaffalione (jockey, Otto the Conqueror, runner-up): โThe horse did everything right today but the speed never slowed down. We ended up being second best.โ
History:
Starting from the outside post in a compact field of five three-year-olds, Raging Torrent clocked fractions of :22.37, :44.65 and 1:09.22 before stopping the teletimer in 1:22.04 over a "good" track with Antonio Fresu ready for trainer Doug O'Neill.
โHeโs a very fast horse and in the last turn I was able to let him relax a little bit,โ Fresu said. โIn the quarter pole, I was able to ask him again and he really fought hard throughout the stretch to not let another horse pass.โ
Raging Torrent had previously won a top-class race at Churchill Downs by 8 ยผ lengths in the seven-furlong race immediately following the Kentucky Derby. He returned to Kentucky from his Santa Anita base to score his first stakes win on Sunday.
โItโs a beautiful day to be able to win a big race at Churchill Downs,โ OโNeill said. โOn Derby day, Antonio Fresu said the track was a little faster than today. In todayโs race, Antonio was able to give him a nice break mid-race and I think that really made the difference. Heโs very versatile, whether heโs on dirt or turf.โ
Raging Torrent, the 1-to-1 favorite, paid $4.16, $2.90 and $2.24. Otto the Conqueror, who moved up late to take second place as the third betting option with a 3-to-1 bet Tyler Gaffalione in the chair, returned $4.02 and $2.50. World record, 5-2 with Flavien Prat up, was another half-length back in third and paid $2.34. Carbon He was fourth and Hold my bourbon was fifth. Lucky Jeremy and This is Uscar were scratched.
Raging Torrent, a son of Maximus Mischief out of the Violence mare Violent Wave, improved his record to 3-1-2 in nine starts. The first prize of $107,200 raised his career earnings to $317,400. He was raised in Kentucky by Rodney J. Winkler and Alfonso Mazzetti.
The Maxfield Stakes is named after GodolphinThe eight-time winning horse. Maxfield was a two-time Grade I winner and won his final race in last year's $750,000 Clark presented by Norton Healthcare (GI) at Churchill Downs.
