Caracortado overcomes odds to run in Breeders' Cup

Caracortado overcomes odds to run in Breeders' Cup 

"A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step." Lao-tzu, Chinese

philosopher (604 BC – 531 BC). For Mike Machowsky and Caracortado, what seemed

like an infinite trek began on January 8, 2012.

Since no one can predict the future, the final destination is unknown, but a

rich and rewarding stopover could come on November 2, when Caracortado runs in

the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint at Santa Anita.

Caracortado was a longshot to take any competitive steps at all, especially in

the elevated company he was keeping, after suffering an injury that sent him to

the sidelines following victory in the Daytona Stakes nearly two years ago.

But trainer, breeder and part owner Mike Machowsky and his dedicated crew were

not about to yield, especially since Caracortado himself encouraged them with

his stick-to-itiveness throughout the healing process of the persistent ailment.

Specifically, Caracortado injured the 'frog' on his right front foot. In medical

terms, the frog not only acts as a shock absorber, it is an important part of a

horse's circulatory system, pumping blood up the leg each time the frog makes

contact with the ground.

The blood flows down the leg into the digital cushion, a fibrous part of the

inner hoof just above the frog, which contains a network of blood vessels. The

horse's weight then compresses the frog on the ground, squeezing the blood out

of the digital cushion and pushing it back up the legs.

Caracortado was an appealing human interest story from the start. He broke his

maiden first out in a maiden claiming race at Fairplex Park, which, while a

fixture in California racing lore, will never rival the rich history of iconic

venues such as Santa Anita, Saratoga or Churchill Downs. He won four straight

races after that, including the Robert B. Lewis Stakes at

Santa Anita in 2010.

Caracortado (it means scarface in Spanish) has generated enough interest that he

has his own Facebook page (Caracortado) and his own Twitter account (@TheCaracortado).

From 20 career starts, he has won nine, earning $870,105 for Machowsky and his

fellow owners who include Super Bowl-winning quarterback Drew Brees of the New

Orleans Saints; Don Blahut; Steve Sobel; and the Kagele brothers, Tom and Jerry.

After several aborted comeback attempts during his 20-month hiatus, Caracortado

finally made it back to the races on September 27, finishing a promising fourth

in the Eddie D. Stakes, run at about 6 1/2 furlongs on turf, the

California-bred gelding's favorite course, and identical to that of the Turf Sprint.

Caracortado came out of the Eddie D. well, in fact he worked six furlongs

Saturday in 1:12 1/5 on Santa Anita's main track. The drill moved him closer to

the Turf Sprint. Hall of Fame jockey Gary Stevens, like Caracortado in a

successful comeback, this after a seven-year retirement, rides the six-year-old

chestnut son of Cat Dreams for the first time in the Turf Sprint.

"I'll breeze him again next week, Saturday or Sunday, maybe on the grass,"

Machowsky said. "Gary will work him to get to know him a little bit and feel his

turn of foot. The horse has trained great. It took a lot of patience from

everybody, me, my help, the owners and the horse.

"He never left Santa Anita that whole time," Machowsky added. "We kept him at the barn here. It's

been a very tedious process, but that's what it required. You have to be patient

with any horse, but when you have one with his ability . . . We didn't know if

he might come back, or what level he might come back at, but right now, he's

training as good as ever."

In other Breeders' Cup news:

Gary Stevens was aboard She's a Tiger in a bullet 1:10 3/5 work for six

furlongs Sunday at Santa Anita as the Chandelier Stakes runner-up prepares for

the Juvenile Fillies on November 2 for trainer Jeff Bonde.

"It was an excellent work," the Hall of Fame jockey said. "She always works well

. . . I wasn't asking her for anything. I'm excited. She's doing well."

With Steve Asmussen on hand, Untapable (Juvenile Fillies) worked five

furlongs in 1:00 4/5.

Trainer Jorge Gutierrez is likely to enter Bright Thought in the Breeders' Cup

Mile when pre-entries are taken tomorrow.

"We'll see if we get in, although we probably won't," Gutierrez said of the

former world record holder for 1 1/2 miles on turf. "We'll enter and go from

there."

Bright Thought worked seven furlongs on Santa Anita's firm turf course Saturday

in 1:28 3/5. Eddie D. Stakes winner Chips All In (to be supplemented to the Turf

Sprint) also worked on grass Saturday, going five furlongs in 1:00 3/5 for Jeff

Mullins. Lady of Shamrock (Filly & Mare Turf) went six furlongs on grass

Saturday in 1:14 1/5 for John Sadler, while City of Hope Mile Stakes winner No

Jet Lag (Mile) went five furlongs in :58 4/5 for Simon Callaghan.

Also Saturday, Obviously, who had his winning streak snapped while finishing

fourth as the 1-2 favorite in the City of Hope Mile, worked five furlongs on

turf in a bullet :58 2/5 with Joe Talamo up for Mike Mitchell.

Surfer Girl Stakes runner-up Nesso worked five furlongs on Santa Anita's turf

course Saturday in 1:02 2/5 for the Juvenile Fillies Turf.

"She can go either way," trainer Vann Belvoir said of her running style. "We'll

see how the race sets up. "I think Martin's (Garcia) got options. We went easy

with her in the work. She finished up (in one) eleven and three (fifths for six

furlongs). She'll have one more breeze next Saturday."

Trainer A.C. Avila will enter L.A. Woman Stakes runner-up Great Hot in the Filly & Mare Sprint at seven furlongs on November 2. Chantal Sutherland

Kruse rides.

Over Keeneland's Polytrack on Sunday, Judy the Beauty, winner of the

Thoroughbred Club of America on October 5, worked five furlongs in company in

:59 with Dylan Davis aboard.

Working before the main track closed for training, Judy the Beauty started two

lengths in back of Finura, a three-year-old maiden winner, and finished two lengths

in front while posting fractions of :12 1/5, :23 4/5, :35 4/5 and out six furlongs

in 1:13.

"That was a nice breeze," owner-trainer Wesley Ward said. "She will come back

next Saturday or Sunday."

The victory in the TCA earned Judy the Beauty a berth in the

Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint to be run November 2 at Santa Anita.

Agent Joe Ferrer has the following firm commitments for his two riders,

Rafael Bejarano and Julien Leparoux: Goldencents (Bejarano, Dirt Mile); Clenor (Bejarano,

Juvenile Fillies Turf); Book Review (Bejarano) and Sweet Lulu (Leparoux, Filly &

Mare Sprint); Chips All In (Leparoux, Turf Sprint) and either Boat Trip or

Havelock (Bejarano, Turf Sprint); Tiz Flirtatious (Leparoux, Filly & Mare Turf);

Dance With Fate (Bejarano) and Diamond Bachelor (Leparoux, Juvenile); and

Silentio (Bejarano, Mile).

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