BY BROCK SHERIDAN
Bridlewood Farm stallion Valiant Minister heads into the 2025 breeding season with a new millionaire among his progeny after Leon King Stable Corp.’s Bentornato produced a dramatic second-place finish in the Grade 1 Cygames Breeders’ Cup Sprint at Del Mar Thoroughbred Club on Nov. 2.
The 3-year-old Bentornato took a short lead from fellow Florida-bred Federal Judge at the top of the stretch in the $2 million contest but could not hold off the hard-charging Straight No Chaser, finishing just a half-length shy of becoming the 31st Florida-bred winner of a Breeders’ Cup contest.
After taking the Grade 2 Gallant Bob at Parx in late September and then producing the courageous performance in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint, Bentornato increased his 2024 bankroll to $820,000 and became the 184st Florida-bred millionaire with career earnings of $1,131,830.
“[Bentornato] all but won the [Breeders’ Cup Sprint] and is a heck of a competitive horse,” Bridlewood Farm General Manager George Isaacs said. “Anybody who has had success with Valiant Minister would be drawn to breed back to him. And anybody who is looking for an affordable horse to breed to here in Florida that can produce a legitimate racehorse, they have to consider Valiant Minister.”
Valiant Minister additionally enjoyed the spotlight when his Loco Abarrio won the FTBOA Gil Campbell Memorial at Gulfstream Park in October, winning his first black type event for owner Mad Dog Racing Stable and Joseph H. Parker.
The two stakes winners helped push Valiant Minister into the top five among leading Florida stallions in 2024 with progeny earnings this year of more than $2.3 million through Nov. 15 according to equineline.com. This year, Valiant Minister is the sire of 31 winners who have produced 45 victories from 54 starters.
“Valiant Minister is a big, strapping, correct horse. He’s 16.3 [hands] plus,” Isaacs said. “He covers a lot of ground with a big, beautiful, flowing walk and he predominantly throws good-size horses who are correct through their limbs.
“So for people who are trying to breed a nice racehorse, he fits the bill.”
Valiant Minister is a son of Candy Ride (Arg) out of Spooky Minister, by Deputy Minister and entered stud at Bridlewood in 2018. From four crops of racing age, Valiant Minister has progeny earnings of more than $5 million with 46 winners from 76 starters.
Among his other stakes winners is Outfoxed, winner of the 2021 FTBOA Florida Sire Stakes Susan’s Girl and FTBOA Florida Sire Stakes My Dear Girl divisions at Gulfstream Park and the 2022 Gasparilla at Tampa Bay Downs.
