Donworth exciting addition to O’Neill stable

DEL MAR, Calif. – Donworth, the winner of the Stanton Stakes at Delaware Park and the runner-up in the Grade 3 Lexington at Keeneland earlier this year, will join trainer Doug O’Neill’s barn this weekend after being acquired this past week at the Keeneland November sale.

Donworth, a son of Tiznow, was purchased for $550,000 by O’Neill’s brother, Dennis, on behalf of owner Paul Reddam. As a 3-year-old with just four career starts, Donworth has plenty of upside going into his 4-year-old year, Dennis O’Neill said.

“He’s a very nice horse,” Dennis O’Neill said Thursday. “We’re extremely excited to have him. He gets out here Sunday and will go right to Santa Anita.”

Trained at the time by Graham Motion, Donworth hit the radar immediately when he won a Gulfstream maiden race in March while overcoming a terrible trip. He subsequently was second in the Lexington behind Divining Rod, then was third in the Sir Barton at Pimlico on the Preakness undercard before rolling to an 11-length win in the Stanton on June 20. He has not raced since.

“We had thought about the Malibu,” O’Neill said, referring to the Grade 1 race for 3-year-olds at Santa Anita on Dec. 26, “but he won’t make it. Something in January at Santa Anita is more logical. The fact that Graham Motion thought enough of him to run him second time out in the Lexington says a lot. He won that Delaware race under a hammerlock. He’s a big, beautiful horse. There’s a ton of upside, to say the least.”