Bernardini
Encyclopedia
Bernardini is a thoroughbred
race horse foaled on March 23, 2003 at Darley Stable in Kentucky
. A son of A.P. Indy
, he is out of Cara Rafaela who won almost a million dollars over the course of her racing career. Her sire was Quiet American
, who also produced Real Quiet
, a horse that came within a nose of winning the 1998 Triple Crown
.
by 5 1/4 lengths in a time of 1:54.65 in the same race where Kentucky Derby
winner Barbaro
was ultimately fatally injured.
Bernardini was ridden to victory in the Preakness by jockey Javier Castellano
, and is trained by Thomas Albertrani. Owned by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum
, Vice President and Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates and ruler of Dubai
, Bernadini is regally bred, with Belmont Stakes
winner and 1992 Horse of the Year
A.P. Indy
as his sire, and a bloodline that includes Seattle Slew
, Spectacular Bid
, and Secretariat
. By blood, he is related to Triple Crown contenders Real Quiet
and Charismatic
.
Bernardini's racing career began at age three at Gulfstream Park
where he finished 4th in a maiden. After a lung infection kept him from racing for 2 months, he came back with a win at Gulfstream on March 4. On April 29, he easily won the Grade III
Withers Stakes
prior to going to the Preakness.
After his Preakness win, Sheik Mohammed decided that Bernardini would not race in the June 10 Belmont Stakes
, which meant that for only the 4th time in 60 years, there were neither the Kentucky Derby winner nor the Preakness winner in the field. A spokesman for Sheik Mohammed's Darley Stable reasoned that "...(Bernardini) climbed the ladder of competition quite quickly" and that "he deserves the break."
Bernardini returned to the races on July 30 at Saratoga Race Course
with a 10-length victory in the Jim Dandy Stakes
over Minister's Bid. On August 26, 2006, he won the Travers Stakes
, also in Saratoga, by 7 lengths over Haskell Invitational winner and Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes runner-up, Bluegrass Cat
. In the October 7 Jockey Club Gold Cup
, Bernardini earned a 117 Beyer figure in a winning effort.
The ultimate goal for Bernardini in 2006 was the Breeders' Cup Classic
on November 4, the most prestigious horse race in the country and a race that would most likely determine 2006 Horse of the Year
honors.
In the race, Bernardini was never far back from the lead, and passed the frontrunner Brother Derek
at the far turn. However, Bernardini was unable to hold his lead and he was passed by Invasor
at the sixteenth pole and finished in second place, losing to Invasor by a length.
Bernardini was retired to stud, and stands for $75,000 at Sheikh Mohammed's Darley Stable at Jonabell Farm near Lexington, Kentucky
.
He won the Eclipse Award
for 3 Year Old Male of the Year for 2006.
On January 26th, 2011, Jerry Moss
and his wife Ann announced that Bernardini would be the highly anticipated first mate of the 2010 Horse of the Year when Zenyatta
was booked to be bred to him later that season. Bernardini was selected over other more established sires as a result of his excellent conformation, strong pedigree, early success from his first crop, and a successful cross with Zenyatta's dam Vertigineux
who produced a promising half-sister to Zenyatta named Eblouissante in 2009.
Thoroughbred
The Thoroughbred is a horse breed best known for its use in horse racing. Although the word thoroughbred is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thoroughbred breed...
race horse foaled on March 23, 2003 at Darley Stable in Kentucky
Kentucky
The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
. A son of A.P. Indy
A.P. Indy
A.P. Indy is a champion stallion Thoroughbred racehorse bred in Kentucky, USA, by William Farish III and William Kilroy. He is known for his ancestry, his own record, and his successful progeny. He was sired by Triple Crown winner Seattle Slew through mare Weekend Surprise, who herself was sired...
, he is out of Cara Rafaela who won almost a million dollars over the course of her racing career. Her sire was Quiet American
Quiet American (horse)
Quiet American is an American thoroughbred racehorse foaled in Florida. He was out of the Dr. Fager mare Demure, by the Grade I winner Fappiano, son of the great Mr...
, who also produced Real Quiet
Real Quiet
Real Quiet was an American Champion Thoroughbred racehorse. He was nicknamed "The Fish" by his trainer, due to his narrow frame....
, a horse that came within a nose of winning the 1998 Triple Crown
Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing
The Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing consists of three races for three-year-old Thoroughbred horses. Winning all three of these Thoroughbred horse races is considered the greatest accomplishment of a Thoroughbred racehorse...
.
Racing career
Bernardini won the 2006 Preakness Stakes2006 Preakness Stakes
The 2006 Preakness Stakes was the 131st running of the Preakness Stakes. The race took place on May 20, 2006, and was televised in the United States on the NBC television network. Bernardini, who was jockeyed by Javier Castellano, won the race. Approximate post time was 6:19 p.m. Eastern Time...
by 5 1/4 lengths in a time of 1:54.65 in the same race where Kentucky Derby
Kentucky Derby
The Kentucky Derby is a Grade I stakes race for three-year-old Thoroughbred horses, held annually in Louisville, Kentucky, United States on the first Saturday in May, capping the two-week-long Kentucky Derby Festival. The race is one and a quarter mile at Churchill Downs. Colts and geldings carry...
winner Barbaro
Barbaro
Barbaro was an American thoroughbred who decisively won the 2006 Kentucky Derby, but shattered his leg two weeks later in the 2006 Preakness Stakes, ending his racing career and eventually leading to his death....
was ultimately fatally injured.
Bernardini was ridden to victory in the Preakness by jockey Javier Castellano
Javier Castellano
Javier Castellano is a jockey in American Thoroughbred horse racing.Castellano began his riding career in his native Venezuela in 1996 and in June 1997 moved to the United States where rode at race tracks in southern Florida until 2001 when he moved to race on the New York State racing circuit.In...
, and is trained by Thomas Albertrani. Owned by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum
Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum
Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum , also Sheikh Mohammed, , is the Prime Minister and Vice President of the United Arab Emirates , and absolute monarch of Dubai.-Personal life and education:...
, Vice President and Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates and ruler of Dubai
Dubai
Dubai is a city and emirate in the United Arab Emirates . The emirate is located south of the Persian Gulf on the Arabian Peninsula and has the largest population with the second-largest land territory by area of all the emirates, after Abu Dhabi...
, Bernadini is regally bred, with Belmont Stakes
Belmont Stakes
The Belmont Stakes is an American Grade I stakes Thoroughbred horse race held every June at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York. It is a 1.5-mile horse race, open to three year old Thoroughbreds. Colts and geldings carry a weight of 126 pounds ; fillies carry 121 pounds...
winner and 1992 Horse of the Year
Eclipse Award for Horse of the Year
The American Award for Horse of the Year is the highest honor given in American thoroughbred horse racing. It has been awarded since 1887 to the horse, irrespective of age, whose performance during the racing year is deemed the most outstanding....
A.P. Indy
A.P. Indy
A.P. Indy is a champion stallion Thoroughbred racehorse bred in Kentucky, USA, by William Farish III and William Kilroy. He is known for his ancestry, his own record, and his successful progeny. He was sired by Triple Crown winner Seattle Slew through mare Weekend Surprise, who herself was sired...
as his sire, and a bloodline that includes Seattle Slew
Seattle Slew
Seattle Slew was an American Thoroughbred race horse who won the United States Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing in 1977, the tenth of eleven horses to accomplish the feat. He remains the only horse to win the Triple Crown while undefeated. In the Blood-Horse magazine List of the Top 100 U.S...
, Spectacular Bid
Spectacular Bid
Spectacular Bid was an American Thoroughbred race horse. "The Bid" as he was known was one of the most dominant gallopers of his time...
, and Secretariat
Secretariat (horse)
Secretariat was an American Thoroughbred racehorse, that in 1973 became the first U.S. Triple Crown champion in 25 years, setting new race records in two of the three events in the Series—the Kentucky Derby , and the Belmont Stakes —records that still stand today.Secretariat was sired by Bold...
. By blood, he is related to Triple Crown contenders Real Quiet
Real Quiet
Real Quiet was an American Champion Thoroughbred racehorse. He was nicknamed "The Fish" by his trainer, due to his narrow frame....
and Charismatic
Charismatic (horse)
Charismatic is a stallion Thoroughbred horse, and is known as one of the closest challengers to the Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing since the last winner, Affirmed, accomplished the feat in 1978. He was trained by D. Wayne Lukas, and famously ridden in the Triple Crown races by Chris Antley...
.
Bernardini's racing career began at age three at Gulfstream Park
Gulfstream Park
Gulfstream Park Racing & Casino is a racetrack and county-approved racino in Hallandale Beach, Florida, in the United States. During its annual meet, which spans December through April, it is one of the most important venues for horse racing in America....
where he finished 4th in a maiden. After a lung infection kept him from racing for 2 months, he came back with a win at Gulfstream on March 4. On April 29, he easily won the Grade III
Graded stakes race
A graded stakes race is a term applied since 1973 by the American Graded Stakes Committee of the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association to thoroughbred horse races in the United States and Canada to describe races that derive their name from the stake, or entry fee, owners must pay...
Withers Stakes
Withers Stakes
The Withers Stakes is an American Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-olds willing to compete one mile on the dirt. Held at Aqueduct Racetrack every year at the end of April , it is a Grade III event, and offers a purse of $150,000...
prior to going to the Preakness.
After his Preakness win, Sheik Mohammed decided that Bernardini would not race in the June 10 Belmont Stakes
Belmont Stakes
The Belmont Stakes is an American Grade I stakes Thoroughbred horse race held every June at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York. It is a 1.5-mile horse race, open to three year old Thoroughbreds. Colts and geldings carry a weight of 126 pounds ; fillies carry 121 pounds...
, which meant that for only the 4th time in 60 years, there were neither the Kentucky Derby winner nor the Preakness winner in the field. A spokesman for Sheik Mohammed's Darley Stable reasoned that "...(Bernardini) climbed the ladder of competition quite quickly" and that "he deserves the break."
Bernardini returned to the races on July 30 at Saratoga Race Course
Saratoga Race Course
Saratoga Race Course is a Thoroughbred horse racing track in Saratoga Springs, New York, United States. It opened on August 3, 1863, and is the oldest organized sporting venue of any kind in the United States. It is typically open for racing from late July through early September.-History:John...
with a 10-length victory in the Jim Dandy Stakes
Jim Dandy Stakes
The Jim Dandy Stakes is an American Thoroughbred horse race. The Grade II race has been held annually since 1964 at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, New York. The race is open to horses age three, willing to race one and one-eighth miles on the dirt. It carries a purse of $500,000. Prior...
over Minister's Bid. On August 26, 2006, he won the Travers Stakes
Travers Stakes
The Travers Stakes is an American Grade I Thoroughbred horse race held at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, New York.First held in 1864, it was named for William R. Travers, the president of the old Saratoga Racing Association. His horse, Kentucky, won the first running of the Travers...
, also in Saratoga, by 7 lengths over Haskell Invitational winner and Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes runner-up, Bluegrass Cat
Bluegrass Cat
Bluegrass Cat is a thoroughbred race horse. Foaled on January 23, 2003, he was a contender for the Triple Crown in 2006. However, he came up just short in the Kentucky Derby, finishing in second place, 6.5 lengths behind Barbaro.-Connections:...
. In the October 7 Jockey Club Gold Cup
Jockey Club Gold Cup
The Jockey Club Gold Cup, established in 1919, is a prestigious thoroughbred flat race open to horses of either gender three-years-old and up. It is typically the main event of the fall meeting at Belmont Park, just as the Belmont Stakes is of the spring meeting and the Travers Stakes is of the...
, Bernardini earned a 117 Beyer figure in a winning effort.
The ultimate goal for Bernardini in 2006 was the Breeders' Cup Classic
Breeders' Cup Classic
The Breeders' Cup Classic is a Grade I Weight for Age thoroughbred horse race for 3 year olds and older run at a distance of 1¼ miles on dirt. It is held annually at a different racetrack as part of the Breeders' Cup World Championships...
on November 4, the most prestigious horse race in the country and a race that would most likely determine 2006 Horse of the Year
Eclipse Award for Horse of the Year
The American Award for Horse of the Year is the highest honor given in American thoroughbred horse racing. It has been awarded since 1887 to the horse, irrespective of age, whose performance during the racing year is deemed the most outstanding....
honors.
In the race, Bernardini was never far back from the lead, and passed the frontrunner Brother Derek
Brother Derek
Brother Derek is a thoroughbred horse. He was bred by Mary H. Caldwell and owned by Cecil N. Peacock.Trained by Dan Hendricks, Brother Derek began racing at age two in California...
at the far turn. However, Bernardini was unable to hold his lead and he was passed by Invasor
Invasor (horse)
Invasor is a Thoroughbred racehorse bred in Argentina by Haras Clausan. The winner of the 2005 Triple Crown in Uruguay, he was later purchased by Sheik Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum who paid approximately USD 1.4 million for the horse...
at the sixteenth pole and finished in second place, losing to Invasor by a length.
Bernardini was retired to stud, and stands for $75,000 at Sheikh Mohammed's Darley Stable at Jonabell Farm near Lexington, Kentucky
Lexington, Kentucky
Lexington is the second-largest city in Kentucky and the 63rd largest in the US. Known as the "Thoroughbred City" and the "Horse Capital of the World", it is located in the heart of Kentucky's Bluegrass region...
.
He won the Eclipse Award
Eclipse Award
The Eclipse Award is an American thoroughbred horse racing award named after the 18th century British racehorse and sire, Eclipse. The Eclipse Awards, honoring the champions of the sport, are sponsored by the National Thoroughbred Racing Association , Daily Racing Form and the National Turf Writers...
for 3 Year Old Male of the Year for 2006.
On January 26th, 2011, Jerry Moss
Jerry Moss
Jerome S. "Jerry" Moss is an American recording executive, best known for being the co-founder of A&M Records, along with trumpeter and bandleader Herb Alpert....
and his wife Ann announced that Bernardini would be the highly anticipated first mate of the 2010 Horse of the Year when Zenyatta
Zenyatta
Zenyatta is a retired American champion Thoroughbred racehorse, winner of 19 consecutive races in a 20-race career and American record-holder for consecutive victories without defeat in unrestricted races....
was booked to be bred to him later that season. Bernardini was selected over other more established sires as a result of his excellent conformation, strong pedigree, early success from his first crop, and a successful cross with Zenyatta's dam Vertigineux
Vertigineux
Vertigineux is an American Thoroughbred mare racehorse. She is out of the stakes-winning Forlì mare For The Flag, by the outstanding sire Kris S. Her owner is Eric Kronfeld, who bought back Vertigineux for $120,000 after she failed to meet her reserve at the 1996 Keenland yearling sale...
who produced a promising half-sister to Zenyatta named Eblouissante in 2009.
Racing career
| Date | Race | Track | Location | Distance | Surface | Condition | Finish |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January 7, 2006 | Maiden Special Weight | Gulfstream Park Gulfstream Park Gulfstream Park Racing & Casino is a racetrack and county-approved racino in Hallandale Beach, Florida, in the United States. During its annual meet, which spans December through April, it is one of the most important venues for horse racing in America.... |
Hallandale Beach, Florida Hallandale Beach, Florida Hallandale Beach is a city in Broward County, Florida, United States. The city is named after Luther Halland, a worker for Henry Flagler's Florida East Coast Railroad. As of the 2010 census, the population was 37,113... |
6 fur. | Dirt | Fast | 4th |
| March 4, 2006 | Maiden Special Weight | Gulfstream Park | Hallandale Beach, Florida | 1 mi. | Dirt | Fast | 1st |
| April 29, 2006 | Withers Stakes Withers Stakes The Withers Stakes is an American Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-olds willing to compete one mile on the dirt. Held at Aqueduct Racetrack every year at the end of April , it is a Grade III event, and offers a purse of $150,000... |
Aqueduct Racetrack Aqueduct Racetrack Aqueduct Racetrack is a thoroughbred horse-racing facility and racino in Ozone Park, Queens, New York. Its racing meets usually are from late October/early November through April.-History:... |
New York City, New York | 1 mi. | Dirt | Fast | 1st |
| May 20, 2006 | Preakness Stakes Preakness Stakes The Preakness Stakes is an American flat Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-olds held on the third Saturday in May each year at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland. It is a Grade I race run over a distance of 9.5 furlongs on dirt. Colts and geldings carry 126 pounds ; fillies 121 lb... |
Pimlico Race Course Pimlico Race Course Pimlico Race Course is a horse racetrack in Baltimore, Maryland, most famous for hosting the Preakness Stakes. Its name is derived from the 1660s when English settlers named the area where the facility currently stands in honor of Olde Ben Pimlico's Tavern in London... |
Baltimore, Maryland | 1 mi. | Dirt | Fast | 1st |
| July 30, 2006 | Jim Dandy Stakes Jim Dandy Stakes The Jim Dandy Stakes is an American Thoroughbred horse race. The Grade II race has been held annually since 1964 at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, New York. The race is open to horses age three, willing to race one and one-eighth miles on the dirt. It carries a purse of $500,000. Prior... |
Saratoga Race Course Saratoga Race Course Saratoga Race Course is a Thoroughbred horse racing track in Saratoga Springs, New York, United States. It opened on August 3, 1863, and is the oldest organized sporting venue of any kind in the United States. It is typically open for racing from late July through early September.-History:John... |
Saratoga Springs, New York Saratoga Springs, New York Saratoga Springs, also known as simply Saratoga, is a city in Saratoga County, New York, United States. The population was 26,586 at the 2010 census. The name reflects the presence of mineral springs in the area. While the word "Saratoga" is known to be a corruption of a Native American name, ... |
1 mi. | Dirt | Sloppy | 1st |
| August 26, 2006 | Travers Stakes Travers Stakes The Travers Stakes is an American Grade I Thoroughbred horse race held at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, New York.First held in 1864, it was named for William R. Travers, the president of the old Saratoga Racing Association. His horse, Kentucky, won the first running of the Travers... |
Saratoga Race Course Saratoga Race Course Saratoga Race Course is a Thoroughbred horse racing track in Saratoga Springs, New York, United States. It opened on August 3, 1863, and is the oldest organized sporting venue of any kind in the United States. It is typically open for racing from late July through early September.-History:John... |
Saratoga Springs, New York Saratoga Springs, New York Saratoga Springs, also known as simply Saratoga, is a city in Saratoga County, New York, United States. The population was 26,586 at the 2010 census. The name reflects the presence of mineral springs in the area. While the word "Saratoga" is known to be a corruption of a Native American name, ... |
1 mi. | Dirt | Fast | 1st |
| October 7, 2006 | Jockey Club Gold Cup Jockey Club Gold Cup The Jockey Club Gold Cup, established in 1919, is a prestigious thoroughbred flat race open to horses of either gender three-years-old and up. It is typically the main event of the fall meeting at Belmont Park, just as the Belmont Stakes is of the spring meeting and the Travers Stakes is of the... |
Belmont Park Belmont Park Belmont Park is a major thoroughbred horse-racing facility located in Elmont in the Town of Hempstead in Nassau County, New York, on Long Island adjoining New York City. It first opened on May 4, 1905... |
Elmont, New York Elmont, New York Elmont is an unincorporated census-designated place located in the northwest corner of the Town of Hempstead in Nassau County, New York, along its border with the borough of Queens in New York City... |
1 mi. | Dirt | Fast | 1st |
| November 4, 2006 | Breeders' Cup Classic Breeders' Cup Classic The Breeders' Cup Classic is a Grade I Weight for Age thoroughbred horse race for 3 year olds and older run at a distance of 1¼ miles on dirt. It is held annually at a different racetrack as part of the Breeders' Cup World Championships... |
Churchill Downs Churchill Downs Churchill Downs, located in Central Avenue in south Louisville, Kentucky, United States, is a Thoroughbred racetrack most famous for hosting the Kentucky Derby annually. It officially opened in 1875, and held the first Kentucky Derby and the first Kentucky Oaks in the same year. Churchill Downs... |
Louisville, Kentucky Louisville, Kentucky Louisville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Kentucky, and the county seat of Jefferson County. Since 2003, the city's borders have been coterminous with those of the county because of a city-county merger. The city's population at the 2010 census was 741,096... |
1 mi. | Dirt | Fast | 2nd |