The global nature of racing and breeding has been brought into sharp focus with the delayed running of the Kentucky Derby next weekend to feature a colt whose dam is based in Australia and whose half-sister is in work at Randwick.
Peace Time (USA) was purchased by SF Bloodstock at the 2016 Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale for $260,000 as maiden mare in foal to Uncle Mo and that mating has produced Kentucky Derby contender Caracaro, who was sold the following year at the same sale for $95,000 as a weanling.
She was subsequently exported to Newgate Farm in Australia and her first mating here to their young dual Group I winning sire Extreme Choice produced a filly that was sold earlier this year at Magic Millions.
Consigned by Newgate, the second foal of Peace Time was snapped up by Joe O’Neill of Prime Thoroughbreds for $160,000.
“It’s so exciting to have a filly that is a half-sister to a Kentucky Derby runner and he’s a colt that has a serious chance,” said O’Neill.
“Caracaro won his first race at Gulfstream just after we bought our filly, so we knew he had some ability.
“He was then second in the G3 Peter Pan and last start was second in the G1 Travers Stakes to Tiz the Law, who is favourite for the Kentucky Derby.”
Trained in Florida by Gustavo Delgado, Caracaro will be ridden at Churchill Downs by Javier Castellano.
The Kentucky Derby will be his third run back after a layoff and assistant trainer Gustavo Delgado Jr believes their colt will be competitive.
“If he keeps improving he's going to be tough," Delgado Jr told TDN.
"Obviously, Tiz the Law is the main guy. If he doesn't show up for any reason, we might be ready.
“He is a good horse. Just the other one is better than him now. You pull out Tiz the Law, I tell you, I am not afraid of any of the others. It's the Derby. Twenty horses. We've seen it before."
While her older half-brother gets ready to ‘run for the roses’, Prime Thoroughbreds have been pleased with the progress of their two year-old filly, who has broken in well and been named Xtremetime.
“She’s doing everything right so far and is in work at Randwick with John Thompson,” O’Neill added.
Newgate Farm have a lot more to look forward to with Peace Time, who has a yearling filly by Hellbent and has foaled this spring producing a filly by More Than Ready (USA).
“She’s a stunning mare and was one of Tom Ryan’s (SF Bloodstock) favourites at that sale,” recalled Henry Field.
“We had some inside information that she was very talented, but retired prematurely due to injury, so she fit our criteria in having had racing talent, being by a champion sire in War Front and having that strong female pedigree as her dam was an outstanding racemare in Santa Catarina.
“Her first foal Caracaro was a nice enough colt, but a bit first foaly, so we didn’t see him as a bullseye horse for the yearling sales and as a result sold him as a weanling.
“Her second foal is the beautiful Extreme Choice filly Joe O’Neill bought and the third is another cracking filly by Hellbent that will be offered at Magic Millions next year.”
Win, lose or draw for Caracaro in the Kentucky Derby next weekend, his dam Peace Time is headed back to North America.
“She’s just had a lovely More Than Ready filly for us, but is booked to go back to North America in a shipment of mares in October,” said Field.
“Whether he wins the Kentucky Derby or not, Caracaro is seen as a serious Group I horse for the future, so it makes sense for her to go back to Kentucky and visit one of the leading sires, maybe Uncle Mo again or possibly Quality Road.”
Footnote: Keeneland have introduced online bidding for all their upcoming sales starting with the Keeneland September Yearling Sale making their 2020 November Breeding Stock Sale more appealing than ever for Australian investors.
Footnote: Caracaro pulled up sore following his final gallop and has been ruled out of the Kentucky Derby as of August 29.
