ARCADIA, Calif. – Motorious, second in the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint last November, began his 2025 season with a come-from-behind win in Saturday’s Grade 3 Daytona Stakes at Santa Anita, a performance that looked similar to his top-class efforts in the second half of 2024. Motorious closed from fourth of six with a rapid move in early stretch to take the lead with a furlong remaining. Ridden by Antonio Fresu for trainer Phil D’Amato, Motorious away to win by a comfortable 1 1/4 lengths over 5-1 Bran. “I like his explosiveness,” D’Amato said. “Once he changed leads, he blew past those horses. It was a more impressive performance than I thought he’d give me.” Sent off favored, Motorious ($3.80) ran about 6 1/2 furlongs on the hillside turf course in 1:13.13 and earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 98. Motorious chased a slow pace for a hillside race set by Goliad, who ran the opening quarter-mile in 23.18 seconds and a half-mile in 45.10. Goliad, ridden by Mike Smith, led by as many as two lengths on the hillside. :: Playing Santa Anita? Get the most trusted data and information in horse racing! DRF Past Performances, Picks, and Clocker Reports available now. “I was expecting Goliad to be in front,” Fresu said. “The first quarter was slow and they started rolling.” Fresu rode Motorious to two sprint stakes wins last year and saw the same performance in the final furlong of the $100,500 Daytona. “He has such a turn of foot,” Fresu said. “To be honest, it was pretty impressive.” Bran, the winner of the 2022 Daytona Stakes and two other stakes in his career, closed from fifth to finish a length in front of 7-1 Air Force Red, a three-time stakes winner. Lovesick Blues finished fourth, followed by Watsonville and Goliad in the small field of six. Daniel’s Magic and Stay Hot were withdrawn on Saturday morning. Lovesick Blues, Bran and Air Force Red finished first through third in the Siren Lure Stakes at six furlongs on the flat turf course on May 10 in their last starts. The Daytona Stakes was the first start for Motorious since a win in the Grade 2 Joe Hernandez Stakes on the hillside turf course on Dec. 28. Owned by Anthony Fanticola, Motorious was beaten a neck in the BC Turf Sprint by Starlust. The same race at Del Mar on Nov. 1 is a long-range goal. Last August, Motorious won the Grade 3 Green Flash Handicap at five furlongs on turf at Del Mar. Motorious, a 7-year-old British-bred gelding by the Oasis Dream stallion Muraarar, has won 9 of 22 starts and earned $876,604. :: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.