Wednesday, August 12, 2009

Hats off to Bernardini

It's tough to feel bad for a horse that earned more than $3,000,000 in his career, won some of the most elite races in the country, and comes from a family of some of the most elite thoroughbreds that the world has ever seen. Yet a lof of the time, I do find myself feeling bad for Bernardini.

Bred to be a superstar, Bernardini's sire is A.P. Indy, a dominating force in the breeding industry. His progeny has earned more than $100,000,000 on the racetrack, and is littered with champions and Grade 1 winners. Bernardini's dam, Cara Rafaela, competed in my of the most sought after races for fillies and mares, including the Kentucky Oaks, Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies, Ashland Stakes, Santa Anita Oaks, Hollywood Starlet, Mother Goose Stakes, and the Alcibiades Stakes. While she only won 4 of 24 lifetimes starts, she ran 2nd or 3rd in each of the prestigious races listed above.

On the racetrack, Bernardini was an absolute monster. Between March and October of 2006, Bernardini didn't lose. He competed in races like the Preakness, Jockey Club Gold Cup, Travers, and Jim Dandy, and he won them all in the eastiest of fashion. The prohibitive favorite (as well as the centerpiece of the event's marketing campaign) for the end-of-the-year championship Breeders' Cup Classic, Bernardini did what many thought was unthinkable for the spectacular colt - he lost. He opened up a clear lead at the top of the stretch, but was caught and passed by a colt named Invasor.

Bernardini was retired after the race. Unfortunately for his legacy, it doesn't seem that he'll ever live down losing the Classic to Invasor. One of the most talented horses that this blogger has ever seen, Bernardini has instead become the butt of some jokes and the poster-child of what happens when a talented 3yo faces older horses. Fair? Who knows. I definitely think that he had all the potential in the world and for whatever reason just didn't show it that day.

This Monday and Tuesday, Fasig-Tipton hosted its Saratoga Select Yearlings sale in Saratoga Springs, NY, and Bernardini couldn't be off to a better start as a stallion. Over those two days alone, Bernardini had yearlings sell for $1,300,000, $1,200,000, $1,000,000, $750,000, $700,000, $320,000, $300,000, $250,000, and $230,000. Well done, 'Dini!