HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. — Bentornato put a punctuation mark on a big day for trainer Jose D’Angelo by cruising to a one-sided and extremely impressive 7 1/2-length victory over the Grade 3-placed Dickens in Saturday’s $100,000 Dr. Fager Stakes at Gulfstream Park. The win completed a sweep of the opening round of the Florida Sire Series for D’Angelo, who earlier sent out Welcome Back to a popular and very narrow triumph in the $100,000 Desert Vixen for statebred juvenile fillies. Bentornato was an overwhelming favorite coming into the Dr. Fager, having captured each of his first two starts including the six-furlong Proud Man Stakes by 4 1/4 lengths here four weeks earlier. The versatile Bentornato overcame an eventful start to lead at every call in the Proud Man, after rallying from several lengths off the pace to capture his career debut earlier this summer. Bentornato broke very alertly under regular rider Emisael Jaramillo from his outside post before easing just off the leaders in perfect striking position through the opening quarter-mile of the six-furlong Dr. Fager. Bentornato readily overtook the pacesetting Dickens after three furlongs, settled into the stretch with a comfortable, lead then extended his advantage steadily while kept under urging to the end. :: Bet with the Best! Get Free DRF PPs and Cashback when you wager. Join DRF Bets. Dickens, who finished third after disputing the pace in the Grade 3 Sanford at Saratoga in his previous start, had the best early speed and held on willingly after relinquishing the lead to finish second while no match for the winner. Dickens’ uncoupled mate Jive checked in another 1 1/2 lengths farther back in third. Bentornato, who brought $170,000 at the OBS March Sale, is trained by D’Angelo for the Leon King Stable Corp. His final time of 1:11:44 seconds over the fast track was nearly three seconds faster than his stablemate Welcome Back completed the same distance winning the Desert Vixen. “I was very confident in him today,” said D’Angelo. “For the last race, he wasn’t ready, he got a fever before the race and we had to skip two very important workouts. For this race, he looked much more mature every morning. I just worked him two times, easy with no company. For the last race I had to push him.  I liked his post position, he didn’t have to get rushed from the gate.  And I think when he goes longer, he’s going to be better.” D’Angelo said he was very happy to have been able to sweep both legs of the series on Saturday. “Last year when we went to the sales we did it with the Florida Stallion Stakes in mind,” said D’Angelo. “We worked very hard at the sales, me and my team, and the results showed up.” D’Angelo said the plan is to keep Bentornato local for the remainder of the Sire Series with his next step the seven-furlong, $200,000 Affirmed Stakes here on Oct 21. Welcome Back had to work much harder before nailing Mist on the wire to post a nose decision in the Desert Vixen. The homebred daughter of Adios Charlie checked back briefly and dropped several lengths behind the leaders on the final turn before swinging wide and gamely running down Mist in the closing stride. Mist steadied back to last shortly after the start, rallied outside horses to wrest control after engaging in a little bumping match with Epona’s Hope nearing midstretch, raced greenly hampering her rider trying to lug in on the left lead through the final sixteenth and just failed to last. Welcome Back, who captured her debut against winners on July 29,  was ridden to victory by Edwin Gonzalez. She covered six furlongs in a dawdling 1:14.28 and returned $3.60. “I think the hard race for her is going to be this one because she’s perfect to go long,” D’Angelo said. “I was afraid this race was going to be too short for her, so I’m happy she won the race.” The Desert Vixen lost the 7-5 morning line favorite R Harper Rose, who spiked a mild temperature and was scratched by her trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. earlier in the day. Like Bentornato, which translates to welcome back in Italian, Welcome Back is expected to return in the middle leg of the filly division of the series, the seven furlong Susan’s Girl, which will also be decided on Oct. 21. :: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.