Scat Daddy's Royal Ascot superstar Caravaggio has been relocated from Coolmore's headquarters in Ireland to our American base at Ashford Stud.
“Ever since he retired to stud, Caravaggio has been supported by top American-based breeders such as David Anderson, Peter Berglar, John Gunther, Hunter Valley Farm, Runnymede Farm, Fred Hertrich, Mike Ryan, e5 Racing & Merriebelle Stables,” said Ashford's director of sales Charlie O'Connor, who co-bred the crack sprinter with his father-in-law's Windmill Manor Farms.
“This support carried into the sales ring in both the U.S. and Europe with several of his highest-priced yearlings being bought by American-based owners including Peter Brant's White Birch Farm, Wesley Ward, Ben McElroy, Susan Moulton, DJ Stables, Mike Akers and Meah/Lloyd for Calvin Nguyen. These included a $400,000 filly and a $300,000 colt sold by Gainesway at Keeneland.”
“A multiple Group 1 winner, Caravaggio is an outstanding physical and was a fantastic racehorse going unbeaten in his first six starts which included Royal Ascot wins at both two and three. His pedigree holds major appeal for breeders here being a son of Scat Daddy, one of the most successful stallions we've ever stood at Ashford, and out of a stakes winner on dirt by Holy Bull. His half-sister My Jen was a good racemare too winning a Grade 2 on the main track at Belmont for Eddie Kenneally. All in all, we thought it made a lot of sense to bring him over.”
Caravaggio stood his first two seasons at €35,000 increasing to €40,000 in 2020. He will stand at $25,000 for 2021 and is available for inspection at Ashford.
With several full fields of high-level horses over the span of two days, the Breeders' Cup is one of the most potentially lucrative weekends on a horseplayer's calendar every year.
In the Breeders' Cup Buzz, we're asking some notable Thoroughbred industry names about their experiences with the event and a few hypothetical questions tied to the races.
This week, we ask horseplayers to recall their most memorable Breeders' Cup handicapping scores. What made them important differed from person to person, from how much a winning ticket paid out to factors that made it more about the moral victory than the financial one.
Rachel McLaughlin – Indiana Grand, Racing Analyst and Production Manager
“Little Mike in The Breeders' Cup Turf in 2012 stands out to me in my mind because it was early on in my career.
“I had been an intern before that, and knowing how to read a program and handicap a race is a little different than ticket construction. With all the hats I wear during racing, I rarely ever get to slow down and make a bet. We go all-out for Breeders' Cup, so I remember this not only for the big price, but because it was one of the first times all year (on an event day) that I really made a point to stop and put some money on a horse.
“The Turf Classic win at Churchill Downs (in May) had me watching Little Mike, and when he won the Arlington Million (in August) I thought 'Okay, he looks a little bit like he bounces.' So after he ran fifth at Belmont (in the G1 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic Invitational Stakes) I decided that's my longshot bet.
“All my degenerate gamblers (as I call them in a loving way) said I was crazy. I figured he would hit the board, but when he won, I was the queen of the degenerates that day! The new girl picked the $36 winner. It was probably beginner's luck, but it was the biggest ticket I had ever cashed at the time.”
Barry Spears – The Sniper
“One of my most memorable Breeders' Cup scores – by far – came in the 2014 Breeders' Cup Saturday early Pick 4.
“The day before, I had taken a really bad beat when Luck of the Kitten had lost the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf to Hootenanny, and on Saturday, I was looking for revenge.
“Coming into the races that Saturday, I really was not too enthusiastic about the early part of the Breeders' Cup menu. I decided to play small and go after the horse I liked the most on the day, which was Toast of New York in the Breeders' Cup Classic. My second-best opinion that day, Bobby's Kitten, happened to be in the fourth championship race of the day and the anchor leg of the early Pick 4.
“I looked at the early races for only a few minutes and became conflicted on whether or not I should even play an early Pick 4 ticket. I decided to play, but I did not want to play a large ticket because I had bigger aspirations for later in the card. I eventually settled in and punched a ticket for $24. The last horse I included on my ticket, Take Charge Brandi, won the first race of the sequence which was the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies at 60-1. The next race, the Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf, was won by Dayatthespa fairly easily at 5-1.
“I was feeling pretty good, but not expecting to hit at this point because I was two horses by a single in the final two legs of the wager. I really felt I did not have enough coverage in the third leg of the bet, the Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Sprint. I really had to sweat that one out as Judy The Beauty outlasted Better Lucky by a long head at 3/1.
“At this point, I really did not have an inkling of what the bet could possibly pay to my single, Bobby's Kitten in the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint. I decided to check the will pays and it flashed up $32,000, and I could not believe my eyes.
“At the time, I was at home with my then 1-year-old daughter watching and playing the races. When I saw what the potential payoff was, I decided to not call my wife unless I won and proceeded to talk to a 1-year-old about how big this could pay with no embarrassment at all.
“To make a long story short, Bobby's Kitten rallied from dead last to get up for the victory in the final jump. Despite my stake in the race financially, it was one of the best races I have ever seen. My daughter and I went absolutely crazy, screaming and yelling for a good 20 minutes. We both lost our voices. The two of us were so loud that the neighbors had called the police to make sure nothing was really wrong at the house. It most certainly was a Breeders' Cup Day and score that I will never forget.”
Ken Rudulph – TVG Host/Racing Analyst
“I am always pumped up and emotional for big races. That feeling gets amplified when I have a runner in the race. In 2006 at Churchill Downs, I had a runner in 2005 Derby winner Giacomo and I really wanted him to win. Like, REALLY wanted him to win.
“Giacomo and me are aligned in so many ways. But, mainly, I felt we were both being overlooked, underestimated, and disregarded. I wanted my boy to show the world that he was not a one-hit wonder. I was so wrapped up in him that I forgot I was alive in the late double. In the previous race on the turf, I absolutely loved Red Rocks, not because I am a genius handicapper but because my colleagues couldn't stop raving about how he was working leading up to the John Deere Breeders' Cup Turf. He was 10-1, so I made a $5 win wager and used him with Scorpion and English Channel to Brother Derek, Invasor, and Giacomo in the late double.
“The win wager got me back to even for the day but I was just waiting for redemption in the Classic – a win wager, double, and trifectas, and an ambitious superfecta all hanging in the balance.
“I am standing near the final turn coming for home so I get a great view of the horses running past me. As they load in, my chest starts to swell and I can feel it all coming up, my eyes are full of tears. Muttering softly, 'Go get those *expletive deleted*.' I wanted Giacomo to win so badly, or even just be competitive.
“They turn for home and Giacomo has been last most of the way, but he still comes with that classic turn of foot and Mike Smith is giving him every chance. I can tell he is no threat to the winner, as Invasor had taken over in the stretch. Giacomo runs into the superfecta, which I do not have. Premium Tap ruined that.
“I am so emotionally spent from clenching every orifice in my body that I completely forgot that I had Invasor in my late double. It paid $191, which is nothing to brag about. But, it's one of the most memorable days of my life. It was the day I actually realized that I love horses.”
Trey Stiles – National Horseplayers Championship Hall of Famer
“My most memorable Breeders' Cup was not a 'big score,' but rather the year I picked a 20-1 winner four weeks in advance of the race.
“Sure, I have had some decent Breeders' Cup scores at the windows over the years. However, my most memorable Breeders' Cup race came from an article I wrote for HorsePlayer Magazine for the 2011 Filly and Mare Sprint at Churchill Downs.
“Because of my NHC qualification streak, I had been asked to write Breeders' Cup and Kentucky Derby articles for HorsePlayer for a few years. I did well, but usually landed on one of the logical favorites. The 2011 Filly and Mare Sprint was different.
“A lawyer I occasionally worked with on cases was part-owner of a horse named Musical Romance. I began to follow the horse closely in early 2011. She ran a lot that year – 14 times – but she really took her game to another level toward the end of 2011. She won the G2 Presque Isle Masters and in the last prep before the Breeders' Cup, she lost the G2 Thoroughbred Club of America by a nose. As I noted in my analysis, she ran against a speed bias and nearly closed for the win in the TCA.
“Her rise must have been unexpected to the owners as well, as she was not nominated to the Breeders' Cup. My article had to be submitted a month before the race for publication and distribution purposes. I decided to risk it and include a longshot that was not even Breeders' Cup-nominated as my 'top value pick.' I gave her fair odds of 4-1, but correctly assessed, 'you'll probably get much more.'
“Fortunately, the owners decided to pay the supplemental fee and she was entered into the race. She paid $42.20 to win.
“I remember loading up on her to win and in the exotics, but I couldn't tell you how much I won. I was much more excited about tabbing the 20-1 winner in print a month before the race. Since this time, my NHC streak has continued and I have had many opportunities to offer race analysis. This includes as co-host of the Sam Houston Race Park pre-race analysis show the past two years which I have really enjoyed. I think it all started gaining momentum for me with the 2011 Filly and Mare Sprint, making it my most memorable Breeders' Cup race.”
The Kentucky horse racing circuit shifts from Keeneland in Lexington to Churchill Downs in Louisville on Sunday as the historic home of the Kentucky Derby readies to open its 131st Fall Meet with an 11-race program – all for promising 2-year-old Thoroughbreds – at 1 p.m. (all times Eastern).
The popular 24-day stand covers a five-week stretch every Wednesday-Sunday through Nov. 29, with the exception of Friday, Nov. 6 and Saturday, Nov. 7 when the Breeders' Cup World Championships return to Keeneland.
The Fall Meet kicks off in style Sunday with the 16th annual “Stars of Tomorrow I” program, which is entirely devoted to hopeful 2-year-old stars that have aspirations of trail-blazing their way to next year's Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (GI) and Longines Kentucky Oaks (GI).
Sunday's 11-race opening day card is headlined by the eighth runnings of two 1 1/16 miles, $98,000-added overnight stakes – the open-company Street Sense and Rags to Riches for fillies. Those races serve as local steppingstones to the two Grade II, $200,000, 1 1/16-mile counterparts on the Saturday, Nov. 28 “Stars of Tomorrow II” program – the open Kentucky Jockey Club and Golden Rod for fillies that are part of the Road to the Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks series which award points to the Top 4 finishers (10-4-2-1).
Churchill Downs Welcomes Back Guests
Sunday's Fall Meet opener will mark the first time this year that spectators can return to Churchill Downs for live racing. Churchill Downs will continue to follow the COVID-19 health and safety protocols for Venues and Events as mandated by the Commonwealth of Kentucky. Last year's average daily attendance during the Fall Meet was 4,200 guests, and less spectators are expected this year. Reserved outdoor box seats as well as select indoor premium areas will be open with proper social distancing at limited capacity per the state's requirements for venues and event spaces.
To facilitate a safe and enjoyable experience, there will be no general admission at the Fall Meet but first floor reserved box seats will be sold at general admission pricing for $5 ($7 on Nov. 27-28). Third floor box seats are $12. Dining options are $39 ($72 on Thanksgiving Day and $49 on Nov. 27-28). Tickets may be purchased online at https://www.churchilldowns.com/tickets/. Children 12 and under are admitted free when accompanied by an adult. Parking is available free of charge on a first-come, first-served basis.
Temperature checks, medical questionnaires, physical distancing and mandatory face coverings will be required upon entrance and movement within Churchill Downs. An inherent risk of exposure to COVID-19 exists in any public place where people are present.
Without Parole, winner of the Group 1 St James's Palace Stakes, has been retired and will return to the U.K. to commence stud duties at Newsells Park Stud for the 2021 season, it has been announced.
Bred by John and Tanya Gunther, the son of Frankel was unbeaten in his first four starts culminating in his impressive victory at Royal Ascot, where he justified favoritism to beat the likes of Gustav Klimt and Irish 2000 Guineas winner, Romanised. His winning time that day was the second fastest ever recorded at Ascot, faster than Kingman and Without Parole's own sire Frankel. A subsequent switch to Chad Brown in the U.S., saw Without Parole consistently perform at the very highest level over a mile with placings in the Breeders' Cup Mile, Shadwell Turf Mile and Shoemaker Mile.
Commenting on his retirement to Newsells Park Stud, general manager Julian Dollar said, “We're delighted to be standing Without Parole at Newsells Park. It's no secret that we, like virtually every other global stallion operation, chased this horse hard after his impressive win at Royal Ascot and its fitting he should now retire to the Stud where he was born and raised. Without Parole is a beautiful horse with an athletic physique and superb conformation. As his race record states, he's an out and out miler who possesses a great turn of foot. Importantly, he has a potent, proven sire's pedigree which should offer breeders plenty of options. He'll certainly be heavily supported by Newsells Park and of course his Eclipse-award winning breeders, John and Tanya Gunther.”
Commenting on his retirement to stud, John Gunther said: “Without Parole has given me the most memorable and exciting day of my life with his victory in the St. James's Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot. It was my biggest dream come true and I continue to be overwhelmed by the heart and perseverance he has shown with his racing pursuits in America. He has raced in 12 consecutive Grade 1s and faced myriad traffic obstructions, at times unsuitable turf conditions and he just never gives up, as demonstrated again by his third place finish in the prestigious Shadwell Turf Mile. I love this horse and can't wait to breed to him.”
Commenting on Without Parole, John Gosden said: “He was a very sound and tough colt and an incredibly good natured horse to train. He won the St James's Palace in courageous style off a strong pace and he showed great speed in the Breeders' Cup Mile.”
Commenting on Without Parole, Chad Brown said: “When Without Parole came to me last year, he immediately showed himself to be a class horse with tremendous ability. I thought so highly of him that I paired him up with Bricks and Mortar, who of course went on to win the Breeders' Cup Turf and be awarded Horse of The Year honors. Without Parole ran huge in the 2019 Breeders' Cup Mile to be third off of a six month lay-off and it has been hugely frustrating that he hasn't added another Group 1 to his resume. He has run some incredibly good races again this year, just not had the necessary racing luck.”
“Little Mike in The Breeders' Cup Turf in 2012 stands out to me in my mind because it was early on in my career.
“One of my most memorable Breeders' Cup scores – by far – came in the 2014 Breeders' Cup Saturday early Pick 4.
“I am always pumped up and emotional for big races. That feeling gets amplified when I have a runner in the race. In 2006 at Churchill Downs, I had a runner in 2005 Derby winner Giacomo and I really wanted him to win. Like, REALLY wanted him to win.
“My most memorable Breeders' Cup was not a 'big score,' but rather the year I picked a 20-1 winner four weeks in advance of the race.