The predictable unpredictability of the Thoroughbred racing game certainly makes for plenty of excitement. The unthinkable is always thinkable and the thrill of victory is at its peak when those rolling dice wind up on their mark. Competing is always good, but that victory dance is what we all really desire..
Doug O’Neill has long been one of the most successful trainers in the California Thoroughbred racing game. His success however, has not been limited to just the Golden State. Having won the Kentucky Derby twice (2012, 2016), a Preakness (2012), and countless other graded stakes races across the country, this Michigan native has been climbing the ladder of life.
One of the keys to the success for O’Neill has been the team that surrounds him. Assistant trainer Leondro Mora has been a vital element now for over two decades. A keen eye and natural knack to go along with supreme dedication to the sport has allowed Mora to become a fixture in the game.
“I have a great boss so there is no need to think about going anywhere else”, smiles Mora. “ It’s been a great 23 years and we look forward to a lot more.”
Never afraid to run their horses when healthy, Team O’Neill has been known to knock a few unexpectedly out of the park. Two things have played a factor there. First of course is the preparation of those ponies. The other is simply putting them in the batter’s box with a pitch to swing at.
Enter the 2024 Pacific Classic on August 31. Sending two entrants to post, Team O’Neill had the higher regarded Katonah and the door-knocking Mixto. Katonah had finished a closing second in the San Diego Stakes at Del Mar in late July while Mixto had run in six consecutive Stakes races and finished second twice and third twice but won nary.
When the gates opened for Del Mar’s signature race for older horses, Mixto, as expected, went to the front of the eight-horse field and pressed the pace. Relaxing just off the lead, Mixto was thought to be perhaps setting the table for his closing stablemate. As the race rolled down the backstretch under a moderate pace, the second longest shot on the field was still there pressing the pace.
As the runners rolled toward the finish, O’Neill’s “other” horse was still right there running strong. With the shadow of the wire in sight, Mixto suddenly lengthened his stride and exploded like a stick of dynamite. Detonating like a runaway locomotive, this son of Good Magic seized the lead very late and finished a half-length to the good.
As the rabbit came out of the hat at 22 to 1, the celebration erupted in the Team O’Neill camp. Of course, you can never know what’s going to happen in this game, but one thing that is certain, you can’t win if you are not in.
“We thought Katonah was probably in better form coming in but Mixto had given us every indication he was ready to run too”, says Doug O’Neill. “It is so hard to win these type races but we always like to give our horses a chance as long as they are healthy.”
Earning his second career win in his fourteenth start at a grade 1 event added to the Mixto lifetime earnings ($782,180) in a big way. But the thrill of victory that upset score provided for Team O’Neill was indeed priceless.
