By Steve Sherack
In this continuing series, TDN's Senior Editor Steve Sherack catches up with the connections of promising maidens to keep on your radar.
After bringing $325,000 from John Fort's Peachtree Stable at the 2020 Fasig-Tipton Selected Yearlings Showcase, the expectations were always high for Cape Trafalgar (c, 3, Lord Nelson–Goldrush Girl, by Political Force), who kicked off his career with an encouraging second-place finish on debut at Gulfstream Mar. 12 (video).
“He had trained extremely well, but we had a couple of setbacks,” Fort said. “I honestly believe that if we didn't have those setbacks, we might be in the Derby mix right now. He trains like that kind of horse. And he's a big, gorgeous colt.”
With a worktab dating back to last May, albeit with a pair of gaps, Cape Trafalgar fired a five-furlong bullet from the gate in :59 (1/31) at trainer Saffie Joseph, Jr.'s Palm Meadows base Mar. 5 and was off at odds of 7-1 in his six-furlong unveiling.
Immediately under a busy ride with jockey Hector Berrios also showing him the whip, the long-striding chestnut didn't appear to be getting over the sloppy, sealed track all that well and was sixth through an opening quarter in :22.64. Beginning to get his legs underneath him from there, he revved up four deep into a joint second on the far turn and set his sights on the leader.
Bumped by eventual winner Unikee (Unified) leaving the three-sixteenths, Cape Trafalgar couldn't quite match strides as that one quickened impressively over the wet going, but he continued on nicely to report home a strong second, beaten 2 1/4 lengths. He earned an 85 Beyer Speed Figure for the effort.
“He ran a big race first time out, didn't he?” Fort said. “Take nothing away, the winner ran well. He'd run well in his first start [third behind subsequent Hutcheson S. runner-up Nitrous Channel] and ran back to that.”
As for what's next for Cape Trafalgar, Fort added, “We're gonna run him next at Keeneland on [GI] Blue Grass S. day [Apr. 9]. There's a maiden race at seven-eighths.”
Bred in Kentucky by Spendthrift Farm, Cape Trafalgar was the second-most expensive of 37 yearlings sold from the first crop of the ill-fated Lord Nelson. His dam Goldrush Girl was second in the 2011 GII Golden Rod S. This is the extended female family of Grade/Group 1 winners Albertus Maximus, Daredevil and King Charlemagne.
“He's a big, rugged horse,” Fort said.
“He was such a standout in the sale that year. Lord Nelson, you might have said, was a little bit more of a sprinter type in conformation. This horse doesn't have that appearance or feel to him. You would look at this horse and say he might go 1 1/4 miles. When you brought Lord Nelson out of the stall, you'd probably say he looks like seven-eighths or a miler.”
Fort would certainly know.
He purchased Lord Nelson for $340,000 as a Keeneland September yearling. Lord Nelson most notably carried Peachtree's purple-and-tan silks to a win in the GII San Vicente S. and a third-place finish in the GI Malibu S. Purchased privately by Spendthrift ahead of his 4-year-old campaign, Lord Nelson went a perfect four-for-four, led by a trio of Grade I victories in Southern California.
Tabbed as the 5-2 morning-line favorite for the 2016 GI Breeders' Cup Sprint, Lord Nelson was scratched with an infection in his right front foreleg, and, after missing the 2017 breeding season with a bout of laminitis, was subsequently retired to stud at Spendthirft Farm the following year.
After a well-documented, long battle with the aforementioned disease, Lord Nelson was euthanized at the age of nine last fall. He is currently represented by one black-type winner and 14 winners.
“It's a sad story,” Fort said. “Lord Nelson was a beautiful horse. I sold a majority interest to Spendthrift Farm and they turned out to be terrific partners. They went the full 100 miles in taking care of this horse and treating him.”
In addition to Cape Trafalgar, Fort's Peachtree Stable also has a “beautiful” homebred 2-year-old filly by Lord Nelson named Lady Hamilton, her yearling full-brother, and a pair of Lord Nelson foals of this year.
“The Lord Nelson saga is gonna go on,” Fort concluded.
Previous standouts featured in 'Second Chances' include: two-time Breeders' Cup winner Golden Pal (Uncle Mo), GI Runhappy Santa Anita Derby winner and Lane's End stallion Honor A. P. (Honor Code), MGISW and 'TDN Rising Star' Paradise Woods (Union Rags), GII WinStar Gulfstream Park Mile S. winner Speaker's Corner (Street Sense), narrow GIII Michelob Ultra Challenger S. runner-up Cody's Wish (Curlin), GSW Moonlight d'Oro (Medaglia d'Oro), GSW & MGISP Spielberg (Union Rags), GSW Backyard Heaven (Tizway), MSW and 'TDN Rising Star' Gidu (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) and GISP A Mo Reay (Uncle Mo).
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