Picture: Tele Poplin/Eclipse Sportswire
Perilla spicy and Welcome again They’re joyful and wholesome again on the stables at Palm Meadows, a satellite tv for pc coaching facility at Gulfstream Park in Palm Seashore County, however the Jose D’Angelo-trained Breeders’ Cup champions don’t have any intention of resting on their laurels.
Shiso Spicy, who had a surprising front-running victory over stallions in Saturday’s Breeders’ Cup Turf Dash, and Ventornato, who adopted his stablemate straight into the Del Mar winner’s circle after exhibiting off his personal front-running prowess within the Breeders’ Cup Dash, are each candidates for the most important prize to be held around the globe in 2026.
Instantly after his Breeders’ Cup victory for Mauprey Racing and Qatar Racing, Shiso Spicy was despatched to the Fasig-Tipton Kentucky Fall Combined Sale, the place he was purchased again to Mauprey Racing for $5 million and returned to D’Angelo for the 2026 season.
Shiso Spicy debuted in October 2024 with a dominant 16 1/4 size victory at Gulfstream, began the 2025 season with a second place end within the Mockingbird Stakes at Oak Garden, after which received his earlier race at Gulfstream in February by 2 3/4 lengths. His solely loss within the subsequent 5 races was at Royal Ascot in June, and he completed far behind within the Commonwealth (G1).
“She has an invite to Hong Kong, she has an invite to Saudi Arabia, however after the Breeders’ Cup she went via a sale and it has been an extended day for her,” D’Angelo stated, including that agency plans for Mitre’s 3-year-old daughter will not be made till she has had time to relaxation and recuperate from the hectic and most efficient schedule of the previous few months. “I am going to take into consideration that later.”
Making ready for the Breeders’ Cup Turf Dash after profitable the Music Metropolis (G2) at Kentucky Downs on Sept. 6 in his first begin since June, Shiso Spicy was in full command from begin to end within the five-furlong turf dash at Del Mar beneath jockey Irad Ortiz Jr.
“I had a lot confidence in her. She did every part completely for the race,” D’Angelo stated. “Her final coaching was solely three furlongs and was straightforward as a result of I needed to offer her extra velocity. She has loads of velocity however I needed to ensure she broke nicely out of the gate and it labored out completely.”
Ventornato’s plan is fairly clear. The Grade 2, $2 million Riyadh Filth Dash, the undercard of the Saudi Cup on February 14 at King Abdulaziz Racecourse, is the Florida-bred four-year-old’s important objective.
Bentornato completed second to Straight No Chaser in final yr’s Breeders’ Cup Dash, shedding by a half-length, however this yr, beneath Ortiz, he fought off early stress and pulled away to win by two-and-a-half lengths. The son of Valiant Minister has solely began as soon as this yr, profitable by 5 and 1 / 4 lengths within the Louisville Thoroughbred Society Stakes at Churchill Downs on September thirteenth.
“Individuals do not know all the issues. He gained an excessive amount of weight so he needed to go on a weight loss plan. He is a very good horse so he needed to take it step-by-step,” coach D’Angelo stated. “I needed to push him to get him prepared.”
Ventornato was definitely price the additional effort to coach such a robust horse.
“He is every part you need in a horse,” D’Angelo stated.
D’Angelo, a local of Caracas, Venezuela who adopted within the footsteps of his father, Kiko, got here to Gulfstream Park in 2019 and has steadily established himself as an up-and-coming coach in South Florida in addition to New York and Kentucky. Saturday was a profession day for the 35-year-old jockey.
“We wish to win each day, however we plan for the Breeders’ Cup all yr lengthy,” D’Angelo stated. D’Angelo has 22 wins within the Gulfstream event, which runs via Nov. 23, and is tied for first within the coach rankings behind reigning champion Safi Joseph Jr.
