While the Europeans are always difficult to beat in the Breeders' Cup Mile (G1T), Team USA will be represented by a formidable contingent come Championship weekend. Carl Spackler, a gate-to-wire victor of the Oct. 5 Coolmore Turf Mile Stakes (G1T), will be one of the Americans leading the home team charge.
Carl Spackler has always been a special horse to jockey Tyler Gaffalione. The son of Lope de Vega has carried the rider to five graded stakes wins, including two grade 1s, but is also owned by Bob Edwards, Gaffalione's father-in-law.
"We try not to mix too much business with family but this one kind of fell into place," said Gaffalione. "It's always special (to win for the family). Especially with (Carl Spackler) being a homebred. They had the mare too and that was their first stakes winner so it's all around a great story."
Bred in Ireland by Edwards' Fifth Avenue Bloodstock, Carl Spackler is out of 2016 Goldikova Stakes (G2T) victress Zindaya. The More Than Ready mare has produced three winners but Carl Spackler has been the standout among her progeny thus far with his $1,568,475 in earnings.
Fresh off his first grade 1 triumph in the Fourstardave Handicap (G1T) at Saratoga Race Course, Carl Spackler didn't disappoint as the favorite in Keeneland's Coolmore Turf Mile. The race, which offered an increased purse of $1.25 million (with $250,000 available exclusively to Kentucky-breds through the Kentucky Thoroughbred Development Fund), is a Breeders' Cup Challenge Series: Win and You're In event for the Nov. 2 $2 million Breeders' Cup Mile. Although Carl Spackler had already earned an automatic berth to the Mile through his Fourstardave victory, the one-mile contest would serve as the perfect prep for his Championship test at Del Mar.
Less than an hour after piloting East Avenue to a front-running score in the Breeders' Futurity (G1) at the Lexington oval, Gaffalione would employ similar tactics with Carl Spackler. Hustling from the far outer post in the field of nine, Gaffalione had the speedy chestnut to the front in no time. Angling over, the colt held a comfortable lead as he cruised through early fractions of :23.93, :47.28, and 1:10.91.
Turning for home, there was only one horse Gaffalione was worried about, Fourstardave runner-up More Than Looks , and he sure came running.
"I knew he was going to be coming late," Gaffalione said of More Than Looks. "He was our main challenger last year and this year. I definitely wanted to make sure I got the jump on him. He's got a strong closing kick, but I've got a lot of trust in my horse."
Rallying a furious bid from the back of the pack, More Than Looks would play bridesmaid to Carl Spackler once more, falling a length short of catching his rival this time. The Coolmore Turf Mile marked the third meeting between the two talented 4-year-olds.
"He belongs (with these horses)," trainer Cherie DeVaux said of More Than Looks after the race. The son of More Than Ready, a multiple stakes winner in his own right, could be another strong American contender heading to the Breeders' Cup Mile. More Than Looks was 1 1/4 lengths clear of Aidan O'Brien trainee Mountain Bear in third.
"(More Than Looks) ran awesome," said DeVaux. "He did everything he could but win and was just unlucky not to get there. You can't fault the horse for running that way."
Carl Spackler ($4.14) completed the mile in 1:34.23 over the firm turf course. He was one of three horses entered for trainer Chad Brown, who also finished fourth and fifth with Running Bee and Spirit of St Louis.
Gaffalione has been aboard Carl Spackler in all but three of the colt's 10 starts dating back to his first stakes win in the 2023 National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame Stakes (G2T) at Saratoga.
"We were really high on him last year but he had a few hiccups. We were actually going to run in this race last year but something came up," said Gaffalione. "But he came back great this year and he's starting to prove what we thought he was all along."
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