Jose F. D’Angelo arrives in Dubai with his best bullet: Bentornato and a dream without a ceiling

The Venezuelan trainer aims high in the Dubai Golden Shaheen (G1) with the latest winner of the Breeders' Cup Sprint (G1)

Bentornato on the Meydan dirt, ready for the feat / DRC

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (Special for Turf Diario).— Dubai is not just another stop for José D’Angelo: it is a pending debt. And this time, the Venezuelan trainer based in the United States feels he has what it takes to settle it. On the eve of another Dubai World Cup Night, the name Bentornato appears as his big card to attempt to conquer the Dubai Golden Shaheen (G1) and definitively enter the global elite.

This will be his third experience in the United Arab Emirates, but the first in which he arrives with a horse in peak form. Previously, he tried with Jesus’ Team (Tapiture), sixth in the 2021 World Cup, and more recently with Caramel Chip (Midshipman) and Run Classic (Runhappy), without major roles in 2024. Now, the story is different. Now, there are arguments.

2025 was the year that marked a turning point in his career. At Del Mar, D’Angelo achieved a feat rarely seen: winning two Breeders’ Cup sprints just an hour apart, thanks to Bentornato and Shisospicy (Mitole). A display of authority that not only confirmed his growth but definitively positioned him on the international radar.

“It was an incredible year. We planned it for a long time and it happened. It looks easy from the outside, but both horses traveled a lot, competed at different racetracks... It was an enormous amount of work,” he explained. Far from being complacent, his sights are set further: “I always want to keep improving. I am very competitive with myself. I want to win the best races in the world.”

On that path, Bentornato appears as the ideal partner. The son of Valiant Minister, himself by the Argentine star Candy Ride, is a modern, powerful, and adaptable sprinter who has also demonstrated a key quality: he knows how to travel and perform.

His evolution was marked. In 2024, he was third in the Saudi Derby (G3), more than 6 lengths behind Forever Young(Real Steel), in an experience that served to adjust the course: “That’s where we understood that the mile wasn't his thing. He ran great, but he lost to the best horse in the world,” D’Angelo recalled.

From that moment on, growth was constant. He won the Gallant Bob Stakes (G2), was second in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint, and then took the definitive leap in 2025, winning that same race. Today he arrives in Dubai in his best version.

“He is a very talented horse. Strong, but when he steps onto the track, he is totally focused. And he is also a great traveler. I think he likes being here,” he assured.

The trip to Dubai is part of a clear plan, also supported by the new reciprocity agreement between the Dubai Racing Club and the Breeders’ Cup, which connects both elite circuits: “Dubai was always in the plan. It’s ‘win and you’re in’ for the Breeders’ Cup, and we want to go back. But first, we want to win here.”

He knows it won't be easy. The Dubai Golden Shaheen is one of the most open and demanding tests on the program, where every detail counts:

“There are no easy races. We’ll see the draw, which will be key. Ideally, we would like to start from the outside,” he analyzed.

D’Angelo left nothing to chance. He arrived with enough time to personally supervise his horse’s final preparation, even witnessing his last move:

“I am very happy to be here. It’s my third time and this one feels special. The owners are coming too and we are all very excited.”

On a night filled with stars, Bentornato has what it takes to make himself noticed. But behind him, there is something more: the ambition of a trainer who doesn't stop.

And who in Dubai, this time, wants to turn the dream into reality.