Seven Days: Veni, Vidi, Vici, Vadeni

This season we appear to have been gifted an above average crop of 3-year-olds, along with some truly exciting older horses who have remained in training. It is as it should be, but things don't always work out that way. 

France and England exchanged Group 1 races at the weekend: on Saturday it was a case of veni, vidi, vici for Vadeni (Fr) (Churchill {Ire}), who gave France a first victory in the race since 1960, when it was won by the Percy Carter-trained Javelot (Fr) (Fast Fox {Fr}). The prize had also gone to France the year before Javelot when the winner was Saint Crespin (Fr) (Aureole {GB}), trained by Alec Head for Prince Aly Khan, the father of Vadeni's owner/breeder HH Aga Khan IV.

Then, in a stellar comeback performance in the G1 Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud on Sunday, Kirsten Rausing's lovely grey mare Alpinista (GB) (Frankel {GB}) added yet another win to her unbroken string which now extends to six, including four Group 1s. 

Hundred Up

There can be few better ways to celebrate 100 years of Aga Khan Studs breeding than by providing the sport with the pre-eminent 3-year-old colt of the season so far, and that is how we must view Vadeni following his success in the Prix du Jockey Club against his peers and subsequent Eclipse success. 

When Native Trail (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}) and Coroebus (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) lined up for the 2,000 Guineas at Newmarket and then returned to scale in tandem after finishing first and second, it was hard to split them on looks. Both dark bay colts are big, strong and solid, and Native Trail appeared to have come on again when glimpsed in the paddock before the Eclipse. As befits a race of its status, it was a good-looking field, albeit none of the six runners were brought into the pre-parade ring, to the disappointment of a significant number of people who had gathered there to see them. With the numbers through the gates at racecourses falling this year it seems madness to disappoint the faithful and serious racegoers by depriving them of one of the most important aspects of a day at the races: the opportunity to inspect the runners parading before they are saddled. It is not just Sandown where this has slipped, as a number of runners in both the Derby and the Oaks came up so late to the parade ring at Epsom that they took only one turn before going to post.

That grumble aside, once in the main parade ring, Native Trail, Bay Bridge (GB) (New Bay {GB}) and Mishriff (Ire) (Make Believe {Ire}) were the three most imposing colts. It has to be said that the smaller and quite slight Vadeni did not match this trio on looks, but handsome is as handsome does, and the whippet in the pack of greyhounds was given the perfect slipstream ride by Christophe Soumillon, who produced him with a flourish to make a devastating challenge two furlongs from home to win what will surely be one of the best races of the year.

Vadeni's grand-dam, the G1 Prix Saint-Alary winner Vadawina (Ire) (Unfuwain), was one of 74 horses in training purchased among a batch of 222 horses which formed the entire racing and breeding operation of the late Jean-Luc Lagardere in 2005, including his stallion, Linamix (Fr). The amalgamation of the Lagardere bloodlines with the Aga Khan stock, following earlier acquisitions from fellow influential breeders Marcel Boussac and Francois Dupre, has continued to revitalise the Aga Khan Studs broodmare band while working in tandem with lines that have been nurtured by the operation throughout the last century. 

Jean-Claude Rouget is no stranger to big-race success in his home country but Vadeni was his first Group 1 winner in Britain since Almanzor (Fr) landed the Champion S. in 2016. Vadeni has drawn favourable comparisons with that former Rouget stable star and it seems likely that he will attempt to emulate him in the Irish Champion S. come September. 

Alpinista Scales New Heights

As we wait to see if Desert Crown (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}) or Westover (GB) (Frankel {GB}) can get the better of their elders in the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth S. later this month, two serious challengers for that race announced their fine form over the weekend. Alpinista, who has her roots in an Aga Khan family through her fourth dam Alruccaba (Ire) (Crystal Palace {FR}), last met Torquator Tasso (Ger) (Adlerflug {Ger}) when trouncing him by almost three lengths in the Grosser Preis von Berlin last August. That was the first of her three Group 1 wins in Germany last term and, as if to silence those that can be sniffy about German form, Torquator Tasso went on to win the Grosser Preis von Baden followed by the Arc, while Alpinista has now continued her unstoppable run of six victories with a rousing victory over fellow Frankel-sired Baratti (GB) at Saint-Cloud.

“She's in better form than the trainer,” Sir Mark Prescott told the TDN on Monday as the dust settled on Alpinista's first racecourse appearance in 238 days. She had originally been entered for the Coronation Cup but had been withdrawn from that potential engagement with Prescott feeling she wasn't ready for her seasonal resumption. Even ahead of Sunday he wasn't sure that the 5-year-old was quite there.

“Her coat wasn't as good as I would have liked and I felt she was still a gallop short but I was probably wrong on the way she won,” he continued. “I think it's the first time she has really impressed. She's been jolly good at winning races but perhaps not at impressing people. 

“It's a real pleasure to have her. With a filly, everything they put on in black type enhances them tremendously and even if they are beaten it's not a catastrophe because they are remembered for their best. Whereas a colt is remembered for his worst and if you get it wrong you can knock astronomical sums off their value. So I think all trainers would agree with me that training a top-class filly is a lot less pressure than training a top-class colt.”

Prescott knows plenty about top-class fillies, and from this high-achieving Lanwades family in particular. In the yard at his Heath House stand the statues of Alpinista's grand-dam Albanova (GB) (Alzao) and her full-sister Alborada (GB), who between them won five Group 1 races for the stable. Like her grand-daughter, Albanova's trio of top-flight wins were recorded in Germany, while Alborada won back-to-back runnings of the Champion S in its original (and rightful) home of Newmarket. She also won the G2 Nassau S. and G2 Pretty Polly S. of 1998, both of which have subsequently been promoted to Group 1 status. 

Prescott also trained Alpinista's dam, Alwilda (GB) (Hernando {Fr}). He recalled, “Her mother was little but very tough and straightforward, very genuine. She won her Listed race more by application than ability. This one [Alpinista] has plenty of ability. When she shot clear I think everybody among her supporters let out a cheer for her.”

That we did. And now we can hope to see her at Ascot for the King George, with the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe her longer-range target. Last year's Arc winner Torquator Tasso clearly needs a bit of warming up from his winter breaks as he has finished sixth in his last two seasonal debuts before clicking into top gear. On Saturday at Hamburg he put his tardy start behind him with an eased-down victory in the G2 Grosser Hansa-Preis.

Peter Michael Endres, representing his owner Karl-Dieter Ellerbracke's Gestut Auenquelle, mapped out a clear plan after the race which takes in the King George, followed by return raids on Baden-Baden and ParisLongchamp for his last two starts ahead of a stud career.

Sammarco: 'The Dream Of My Life'

When Torquator Tasso eventually retires to Gestut Auenquelle he has big shoes to fill if he is to follow the example of the stud's resident stallion Soldier Hollow, who has been champion sire and champion broodmare sire in Germany on multiple occasions. 

It was in the latter role that he featured in the pedigree of the winner of Sunday's G1 Deutsches Derby, Sammarco (Ire) (Camelot {GB}), who is owned and was bred by Helmut von Finck of Gestut Park Wiedingen, who also raced and still owns Soldier Hollow.

Von Finck, who has 15 broodmares at his farm in northern Germany, on Monday reflected on a Classic victory that was the culmination of decades of breeding.

“He's such a good horse, very relaxed at home but such a fighter on the track,” he said of the Peter Schiergen-trained Sammarco. “It has been my dream for 35 years to get the Derby winner and now I have done it as an owner and breeder with a horse from my own stud who is from a mare by my stallion. It is the dream of my life. It fulfils 35 years of work.”

He continued, “Sammarco is really well this morning and lost only a few kilos in the race. He's happy and very relaxed out in the paddock. He has had four starts for three wins and a second, and now he has won the Derby on his fourth start. Everything is perfect.”

The breeder, who will be offering Sammarco's half-brother by Areion (Ger) at the BBAG Yearling Sale in early September, outlined a potential clash with Torquator Tasso at Baden-Baden on the weekend immediately following the sale.

He continued, “I would like to give him a break from racing for eight weeks and then go to the Grosser Preis von Baden. I don't want him to do too much as a 3-year-old as my plan is to race him at four.”

Von Finck currently has five mares in foal to his treble champion sire Soldier Hollow, whose sons Pastorius (Ger) and Weltstar (Ger) are both German Derby winners. Now 22, he currently leads the German broodmares sires' table ahead of another former Auenquelle resident, the late Big Shuffle. 

He added, “Soldier Hollow is also the broodmare sire of Schnell Meister, a Grade I winner in Japan. I'm very proud of him going towards his third championship as broodmare sire. He covered 45 mares last year and I am happy to have five mares in foal to him. He's not the youngest but he is very well and still capable of covering that number.”

Hollie in Hamburg

The offspring of the Gestut Rottgen mare Wellenspiel (Ger) (Sternkoenig {Ire}) have played starring roles on German Derby weekend right from the off, with her first two foals, Windstoss (Ger) (Shirocco {Ger}) and Weltstar (Ger}) (Soldier Hollow {GB}), winning the Derby in 2017 and 2018 respectively. Their younger half-sister Well Disposed (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) has now added more kudos to the family by landing the G3 Mehl-Mulhens Trophy on the Derby undercard. 

Her victory marked the first in the country for Classic-winning jockey Hollie Doyle, who also rode for Gestut Rottgen in the Derby aboard the filly Wagnis (Ger) (Adlerflug {Ger}). She fared less well in this Classic, which suffered a near 30-minute delay while the rails were realigned with the runners at the post, and Doyle was lucky to remain in the saddle when Wagnis stumbled badly on the turn. Winner of the G3 Diana Trial by five lengths on her previous start, the filly regained her composure and ran on to be 11th of the 20 runners. 

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Frankel’s Alpinista Takes The Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud

Kirsten Rausing's Alpinista (GB) (Frankel {GB}) was making her comeback in Sunday's G1 Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud, but there was no sign of rustiness as she overwhelmed a deep field for a fourth consecutive top-level victory. Now unbeaten in her last six starts including the G2 Lancashire Oaks, G1 Grosser Preis Von Berlin, G1 Preis Von Europa and G1 Grosser Preis Von Bayern, the Sir Mark Prescott-trained grey was held up early travelling notably strongly for Luke Morris in rear of mid-division. Unleashed wide at the top of the straight, the 8-1 shot rolled by the progressive Fabre trainee Baratti (GB) (Frankel {GB}) a furlong from home en route to a 1 1/4-length success, with Bubble Gift (Fr) (Nathaniel {Ire}) a neck away in third. There are worrying signs for connections of the 4-5 favourite Hurricane Lane (Ire) (Frankel {GB}), as he weakened in early straight and beat only one rival.

“She's taken a long time to come to hand this year, which is why she missed the Coronation Cup and I feel she's only just starting to come now, so I hope she can improve for the run and I think all roads will lead to the Arc,” Morris said. “We usually ride her very handy, but there looked to be a lot of pace in the race so on her first run of the year we said we'd take a chance and drop her in a bit more and see how she went. The gap came lovely and she produced a very good turn of foot. She beat Torquator Tasso last year and it was the decision between going to Germany for what looked a very easy group one or going for the Arc and we chose the easy option–this year we may aim a bit higher.”

Alpinista is arguably the best that Prescott has trained since her dual G1 Champion S.-winning relative Alborada (GB) (Alzao), but she has taken time to reach full maturity and fulfil her potential. Since registering her first black-type win in Salisbury's Listed Upavon Fillies' S. in August 2020, the only rivals to have taken her measure have been Love (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) in the G1 Yorkshire Oaks shortly after and Antonia De Vega (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) in the G3 Princess Royal S. at Newmarket the following month. “It was a faultless performance wasn't it really? She wouldn't come in her coat in the Spring and wasn't at a stage where she could run,” her trainer said. “She's just come right now and to be honest I thought the race might come 10 days too soon for her, but it's worked out very well. You would hope she could improve a tiny bit more.”

“We'll see what Miss Rausing feels, but I would think one run before the Arc, probably, and conventionally you'd go for the Prix Vermeille–that would be the obvious race,” Prescott added. “I don't see any reason to be a clever Dick, I think you just go with the obvious and hope she's good enough to do it.” Juddmonte's Barry Mahon said of Baratti, “He has run a great race. Andre Fabre has always said he is a good horse and he has had a few setbacks, including one before the Hardwicke but we now have a good horse for the second half of the season.”

Alpinista is the first foal out of the listed scorer Alwilda (GB) (Hernando {Fr}), who is one of four black-type winners out of the family's initial triple German group 1 winner Albanova (GB) (Alzao). The others are the group 3 scorer Algometer (GB) (Archipenko), the listed scorer and group 3-placed Alignak (GB) (Sea The Moon {Ger}) and the triple French listed winner All At Sea (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) who is in turn the dam of this year's G2 Queen's Vase winner Eldar Eldarov (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}).

The third dam is the Listed Oyster S. winner Alouette (GB) (Darshaan {GB}), producer of the aforementioned Alborada who is kin to the G3 Doncaster Cup winner Alleluia (GB) (Caerleon) who in turn produced the G1 Prix Royal-Oak heroine Allegretto (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}). Alouette is also a half to the G2 Nassau S. winner Last Second (Ire) by Albanova and Alborada's sire Alzao, who boasts the G1 Poule d'Essai des Poulians-winning sire Aussie Rules (Danehill) among her progeny list. Also related to last year's G1 QIPCO British Champions Fillies & Mares S. and G1 Yorkshire Oaks runner-up Albaflora (GB) (Muhaarar {GB}), Alwilda has the dual-winning 3-year-old filly Alpenblume (GB) (Kendargent {Fr}) and a filly foal by Iffraaj {GB).

Sunday, Saint-Cloud, France
GRAND PRIX DE SAINT-CLOUD-G1, €400,000, Saint-Cloud, 7-3, 4yo/up, 12fT, 2:26.15, g/s.
1–ALPINISTA (GB), 125, m, 5, by Frankel (GB)
     1st Dam: Alwilda (GB) (SW-Ger & SP-Eng), by Hernando (Fr)
     2nd Dam: Albanova (GB), by Alzao
     3rd Dam: Alouette (GB), by Darshaan (GB)
O/B-Kirsten Rausing (GB); T-Sir Mark Prescott; J-Luke Morris. €228,560. Lifetime Record: Ch. Older Mare-Eng at 11-14f, Ch. Older Mare-Ger at 11-14f, MG1SW-Ger, GSW & G1SP-Eng, 13-8-2-0, €709,197. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Baratti (GB), 128, c, 4, Frankel (GB)–Binche, by Woodman.
1ST GROUP BLACK TYPE; 1ST GROUP 1 BLACK TYPE. O/B-Juddmonte Farms Ltd (GB); T-Andre Fabre. €91,440.
3–Bubble Gift (Fr), 126, c, 4, Nathaniel (Ire)–Bubble Back (Fr), by Grand Lodge.
1ST GROUP 1 BLACK TYPE. O-Zak Bloodstock; B-A Hakam (FR); T-Mikel Delzangles. €45,720.
Margins: 1 1/4, NK, 3. Odds: 7.90, 10.00, 25.00.
Also Ran: Sweet Lady (Fr), Lone Eagle (Ire), High Definition (Ire), Mare Australis (Ire), Hurricane Lane (Ire), Third Realm (GB). Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by TVG.

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Dubawi’s Eldar Eldarov Edges The Queen’s Vase

Wednesday's G2 Queen's Vase was staged over 14 furlongs, but it took a pixel study for the judge to call it as TDN Rising Star Eldar Eldarov (GB) inched out Zechariah (Ire) (Nathaniel {Ire}) to continue the fine week for Dubawi (Ire). KHK Racing's unbeaten colt had launched his season with a win over 10 furlongs on Newcastle's Tapeta May 24, but Roger Varian had plumped for this staying test of all the options here and ultimately was fully justified as the £480,000 Arqana Breeze Up graduate needed every yard to get in front. Anchored towards the rear of mid-division early by David Egan, the 5-2 favourite had plenty of ground to make up on Zechariah from the top of the straight as Colin Keane struck for home, but his stirring finale saw him take it from that rival on the line. While the official nose margin seemed too vast a measurement, there was a relatively gaping neck back to Hafit (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) in third as they drew clear of the remainder. “I have never hit the line so strong in a mile and six-furlong race and ended up by the St James's Palace Stakes start,” Egan said. “He was full of running. Stamina is his biggest attribute–we always thought he was a horse who would also like ease in the ground, so there is a lot more to come.”

Roger Varian, who had introduced the winner over an extended mile at Nottingham in October, had also been worried about the fast conditions and commented, “The ground was a concern because Eldar Eldarov is so inexperienced and I thought, on fast ground, he looks like a horse laden with lots of stamina so let's go the distance. There was a lot of chat about him in the winter because he'd won at Nottingham in a similar style to the Derby winner and of course we were excited about him and hoping to get him to a Derby trial, but the horse just didn't thrive in the spring. We went to Newcastle, where I think he was only 90% and that was a strong novice.”

“There is a lot to come from this horse and I think his best days are ahead of him. He put in one hell of a performance and you would think looking down the road that he could develop into a St Leger horse. Even looking to next year, hopefully he can keep improving. I'm delighted for KHK, Sheikh Khalid [ bin Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa] and everyone involved. They are supporting the industry very strongly, they are supporting me. Days like this are very special to all of us and to get the horse home in front with a lot of expectations is very satisfying.”

Trainer Martyn Meade had to suffer the agony of losing out in the bobber and said of Zechariah, “A mile and six furlongs and you think crikey, I don't need to lose by that! That's racing for you! We have been waiting to run him over this sort of distance and have been building up to this. The betting did not show it, but we had a lot of faith coming into this and he looked as though he'd been well placed at one stage. Today was a bit of an experiment to see if our judgment had been right and he would get the trip. It opens up a whole new array of opportunities. He could have Cup hopes in time. Travelling to Australia could be an option with Aquis involved. They have horses with us to run them here, but he might be better there in time.”

Eldar Eldarov is the third of five foals and the second scorer out of Kirsten Rausing's Listed Prix de Liancourt, Listed Prix Zarkava and Listed Prix de la Pepiniere winner All At Sea (GB) (Sea the Stars {Ire}). Also responsible for the Listed Rothesay S.-placed A La Voile (GB) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}), she is one of five black-type performers produced by the G1 Deutschlandpreis, G1 Rheinland-Pokal and G1 Preis von Europa heroine Albanova (GB) (Alzao), who is a full-sister to the dual G1 Champion S. heroine Alborada (GB) and a half to the dam of Alpinista (GB) (Frankel {GB}) who brought up her own German group 1 treble last term in the Grosser Preis von Berlin, Grosser Preis von Bayern and Preis von Europa. All At Sea's 2-year-old colt Kingswood (GB) (Roaring Lion) was bought by Glyn Davies for €130,000 at the Goffs Orby Yearling Sale, while she also has a yearling filly by Study of Man (Ire).

Wednesday, Ascot, Britain
QUEEN'S VASE-G2, £262,500, Ascot, 6-15, 3yo, 14f 34yT, 3:01.33, g/f.
1–ELDAR ELDAROV (GB), 128, c, 3, by Dubawi (Ire)
1st Dam: All At Sea (GB) (MSW-Fr, $133,622), by Sea The Stars (Ire)
2nd Dam: Albanova (GB), by Alzao
3rd Dam: Alouette (GB), by Darshaan (GB)
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN; 1ST GROUP WIN. (£110,000 Ylg '20 GOFOR; £480,000 2yo '21 ARQDEA). O-KHK Racing Ltd; B-Kirsten Rausing (GB); T-Roger Varian; J-David Egan. £155,400. Lifetime Record: 3-3-0-0, $196,428. *1/2 to A La Voile (GB) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}), SP-Eng. Werk Nick Rating: A++. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Zechariah (Ire), 128, c, 3, Nathaniel (Ire)–Nancy O (Ire), by Pivotal (GB). 1ST BLACK TYPE; 1ST GROUP BLACK TYPE. (15,500gns Wlg '19 TATFOA; £40,000 Ylg '20 GOFOR). O-Aquis Farm & Manton Park; B-John Gunther (IRE); T-Freddie & Martyn Meade. £58,774.
3–Hafit (Ire), 128, c, 3, Dubawi (Ire)–Cushion (GB), by Galileo (Ire). (2,100,000gns Ylg '20 TATOCT). O-Godolphin; B-Floors Farming & Coolmore Stud (IRE); T-Charlie Appleby. £29,374.
Margins: NO, NK, 5. Odds: 2.50, 20.00, 9.00.
Also Ran: Al Qareem (Ire), Anchorage (Ire), Nahanni (GB), Green Team (Fr), Typewriter (Ire), Ruler Legend (Ire), Perfect Alibi (GB), Emotion (GB), Baltic Bird (GB). Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.

 

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Miami IP Stable Ready for Round 2

A group of Italians who call South Florida home banded together last year to form Miami IP Stable, a racing stable of American-bought horses to race in Italy. The partners' initial investment worked out so well, they plan on restocking at the upcoming yearlings sale and this time they hope to make use of evolving technology to increase their buying power. Paolo Romanelli, whose roots in Italian racing run deep, spearheaded the partnership.

“I have this passion for horse racing because of my family tradition,” Romanelli said of the origins of Miami IP Stable.

Romanelli's great-grandfather, Luigi Regoli, Sr. trained for Federico Tesio, while his great-uncle, Federico Regoli, won the 1933 Arc de Triomphe with Crapom and trained in Italy for Winston Guest. His grandfather, Luigi, Jr., trained in Italy for Kirsten Rausing's family.

“In Miami, I met my good friends Piero Salussolia, he is a lawyer, and Luca Gattai, an entrepreneur, and we talked about buying some horses in America to race in Italy.” Romanelli continued. “And if they did well, maybe, we would bring them back to America. And we put together a partnership called Miami IP.”

“Piero and Luca didn't know almost anything about horse racing, so we went to the March sale at OBS to study everything,” Romanelli said. “We watched the bidding, we went to a few farms, and then in April of 2021, we put together this budget with two other partners who gave us some money. The three of us went to Ocala, and with the help of my very good friends Emmanuel and Laura de Seroux of Narvick International, we bought three horses.”

Of the decision to buy horses in the U.S., rather than Europe, Romanelli explained, “We are based in Miami most of the time. I live here permanently, I go to Italy two or three times a year. Piero has a beautiful house on an island here in Miami Beach. And Luca owns a historical private resort beach in Italy in Viareggio, called Bagno Lido, but he has a place in Key Biscayne where he stays six months a year, when the season is over in Italy for the beach in the winter, he comes to Miami. So we are familiar with the horses in America more than in Europe.”

At last year's OBS Spring sale, Miami IP purchased a colt by Street Sense (hip 427) for $24,000, a son of Daredevil (hip 855) for $30,000, and a colt by Liam's Map (hip 1047) for $47,000.

Shortly after the auction, the group added another partner when entrepreneur Maurizio Mian, who generates headlines with his German Shepherd Gunther–nicknamed the world's richest dog–acting as a lead investor.

“I went to school with Maurizio,” Romanelli said. “We grew up together and we were part directors of a soccer team in the countryside of Pisa called San Prospero. We were very close. But we lost track of each other. For a few years, we didn't see each other. He was in Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic on vacation and Piero, his friend and his lawyer, was also there. It was just after the sales at OBS in April. Piero told him, 'We have a new venture, we bought three horses.' Piero told him I was involved and we spent a little more than we thought. Maurizio asked if we needed money and Piero said, 'Maybe. Maybe $30,000 to keep everything paid until September, the shipping, the quarantine. And Maurizio said, 'Since Paulo is there, I will give you $50,000 and I want to be a partner.' So without knowing anything about the horses, he gave us $50,000.”

The three OBS Spring juveniles spent a month in quarantine in Miami before shipping to Rome to join the barn of trainer Agostino Affe'.

“The horses started running in October of last year,” Gattai said. “We had a few wins and places, everybody was very happy, so we bought another one, a yearling at Fasig-Tipton October. I named him Tequila Picante. He is by Summer Front and he is about to start. We were totally new to Thoroughbred racing, but we became very excited because of the results. We didn't win any big races, but with one horse–Di Lido (Liam's Map)–we ran in the May 22 US$700,000 G2 Italian Derby.”

The partners were so happy with the initial results of the stable, they plan on adding yearlings to the roster this fall. To increase capital and to attract new racing fans, they plan on making use of Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs), digital assets which represent real-world objects such as art, music or videos. NFTs are generally bought and sold online using cryptocurrency.

Salussolia said he is excited to make use of NFTs in the horse racing industry.

“It is something that is pretty common for art, for real estate, but not really for horses,” the lawyer said. “I want to make 500 NFTs available at €1,000 each to raise a capital of €500,000, pay all the expenses and commissions and, with the remaining €350,000-€400,000, buy more horses.”

Salussolia said the group already has some 15 interested investors and the hope is, as the stable's successes grow, the value of the NFTs will increase.

For Romanelli, the stable's individual results aren't as important as his desire to keep his family tradition in the sport and to possibly be a part of racing's resurgence in Italy.

“I always wanted to give a positive picture of racing in Italy,” he said. “In the recent past, there were many negative comments about Italian Thoroughbred racing. But now, there is a new leadership in the Italian government and they are supporting racing strongly and there is a younger leadership in the horsemen. At the opening weekend at the San Siro racetrack in Milan there were 21,000 people. They are paying the purses faster–that was always the main problem–and we have foreign stables coming back.”

Romanelli continued, “So we are all Italians and we want to buy here in the United States because we are more familiar with the bloodlines here and also because we live here, so it's easy to go to Ocala and to Lexington, but at the same time, we want to race in Italy because we want to support Italian racing. I hope to go back to the big days of Federico Tesio, Nearco and Ribot. It's a mission.”

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