Mourinho bounded to a 4 1/2-length maiden special weight debut in a stylish performance Saturday at Santa Anita, winning in hand under Drayden Van Dyke (VIDEO).
The Super Saver colt, a $625,000 buy at this year’s OBS March Sale, was named a TDN Rising Star after the sterling effort, while earning a very good 86 Beyer Speed Figure for trainer Bob Baffert and owner Phoenix Thoroughbred III Ltd.
Mourinho was three-wide for the first half-mile before ranging up to take the lead at the top the stretch, then easily pulled away to stop the timer in 1:11.27.
Named after famed soccer coach Jose Mourinho, the winner was bred by WinStar farm and is out of the stakes-placed mare Sandi’s Ready. Mourinho is Super Saver’s fourth lifetime TDN Rising Star and one of his 70 winners who have earned more than $3 million in 2017.
