Caracaro

The storylines of "Thurby" can oftentimes get lost in the hubbub of the ensuing weekend of racing at Churchill Downs, but for trainer John Hancock, the Thursday before this year's Kentucky Derby was a day he won't soon forget. Not feeling the greatest that afternoon, the veteran conditioner decided to stay back at the barn and let his family head to the paddock to saddle West Memorial (Caracaro) and Strummin (Flameaway) for the Kentucky Juvenile S. Meanwhile Hancock drove over to a spot on the backside where he had a...

West Memorial became the first winner for freshman sire Caracaro (by Uncle Mo) with an upset win over the boys in the Kentucky Juvenile S. at Churchill Downs on Thursday. The John Hancock trainee was a close second on debut at Keeneland Apr. 7. Overlooked at 17-1 here, the bay watched as the Wesley Ward-trained 'TDN Rising Star' Shoot It True (Munnings), a runaway Keeneland debut winner Apr. 5, and Resolute Racing acquisition Mensa (Complexity), a $740,000 purchase earlier this week via the Fasig-Tipton Digital Sale platform, battled for command...

by Jessica Martini & Stefanie Grimm OCALA, FL - While it took some time to find its stride, the first session of the Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's Spring Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training gained momentum throughout the day and concluded with figures in line with the first session of its record-setting 2023 renewal. "I thought it was a good day," said OBS Director of Sales Tod Wojciechowski. "A good horse sells well and I thought we had a lot of nice horses today. Holding true to last year, that's a...

Agent Donato Lanni purchased a filly for the Three Amigos from the first crop of Caracaro (hip 199) for $775,000 halfway through Tuesday's opening session of the Ocala Breeders' Sale Spring 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale. The filly breezed a quarter in :20.2, the third-fastest quarter time of the sale, and will race for trainer Bob Baffert.

It's that time again. The first major 2-year-old sale, the March OBS sale, is in the books and the buyers, sellers and bloodstock agents have had their chance to evaluate this year's freshman sires. So who do they like? We asked the experts listed below to give us their pick for leading freshman sire and an under-the-radar stallion they expect will have a big 2024. Liz Crow: "I really liked the Improbables (WinStar) at the OBS March breeze show. It's very sad that he passed away. I thought he had,...

As 2023 draws to a close, the TDN is asking industry members to name their favorite moment of the year. Send yours to [email protected]. The most memorable moment of 2023 was our Keeneland September yearling class assembling at the sale. I always look forward to that two-week stretch and the excitement surrounding all the new horses we bring into the stable. Twice this year, I thought we were finished buying...once after picking up the Caracaro filly and again after we bought the War of Will filly we were (and still...

The first foal by TDN Rising Star Caracaro (Uncle Mo--Peace Time, by War Front) was born at Dr. Gilberto Lopez Giraluna farm in Ocala, Florida Friday. The colt is out of unraced Real Ruffian (Ghostzapper), dam of stakes-placed First Illusion (Plan). The Ontario-bred mare is a half to Grade III winner Temporary Saint (Awesome Again). Caracaro was given Rising Star billing in his second start when winning by six lengths going a mile at Gulfstream before finishing runner-up in the GIII Peter Pan S. at Saratoga. In his final career...

For the first half of this story, please visit yesterday's instalment. Precocity may not be the first thing you'd have in mind from Tom's d'Etat (Smart Strike--Julia Tuttle, by Giant's Causeway), who enters service at WinStar at $17,500 after only really seizing our attention at the age of seven. Nonetheless, he represents one of the most promising prospects of the intake. For a start, he's by a sire of sires out of a graded stakes-placed Giant's Causeway mare whose own dam was a full-sister to Candy Ride (Arg). And nine...

'TDN Rising Star' Caracaro (Uncle Mo--Peace Time, by War Front) has been retired from racing and will take up stud duties in 2021 at Pope McLean's Crestwood Farm for a fee of $6,500 LFSN. Campaigned by Global Thoroughbred and Top Racing LLC and conditioned by Gustavo Delgado, the bay was a six-length second-out winner at Gulfstream in January. He was second by a neck in Saratoga's GIII Peter Pan S. in July, and completed the exacta in the GI Runhappy Travers S. Aug. 8 while earning a 101 Beyer Speed...

With just seven days remaining until the coronavirus-delayed GI Kentucky Derby, the race's likely second favorite Art Collector (Bernardini) topped a busy Friday morning worktab at Churchill Downs. News also emerged from Saratoga that 'TDN Rising Star' Caracaro (Uncle Mo) would be forced to miss the 'Run for the Roses' after suffering an undetermined injury in a breeze Friday morning. With gameday jockey Brian Hernandez, Jr. in the irons, Bruce Lunsford homebred Art Collector (second in the TDN Kentucky Derby Top 12) went five-eighths of a mile in a 1:00.80...

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - With a mix of optimism and respect, trainer Gustavo Delgado and his son and assistant, Gustavo Delgado Jr., have gone about their primary task of the summer: preparing Caracaro (Uncle Mo) of the GI Kentucky Derby. The Delgados are based in South Florida at Gulfstream Park West, but brought Caracaro to Saratoga Race Course in July with the goal of earning enough qualifying points to make the 20-horse Derby. Following second-place finishes in the GIII Peter Pan S. July 16 and the Aug. 8 GI Travers...

The connections of presumptive GI Kentucky Derby favorite Tiz the Law (Constitution) called an audible Saturday morning when heavy rains pelted Saratoga, opting for a gallop (XBTV video) and moving a scheduled breeze for the treble Grade I winner to Sunday. But the inclement weather did not stop 'TDN Rising Star' Caracaro (Uncle Mo), as he posted a five-furlong move in 1:01.02 over the main track (XBTV video). It was the first serious piece of work for the bay colt since his distant runner-up effort to Tiz the Law in...