Grounded Garoffalo Dares to Dream with Wildcat Red

Trainer Jose Garoffalo was all smiles after Wildcat Red prevailed in the Grade 2 Fountain of Youth Stakes on Feb. 22 at Gulfstream Park. Wildcat Red is a leading contender for the Florida Derby on Saturday. (Photo by Eclipse Sportswire)
By Tom Pedulla, America’s Best Racing
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Even as Jose Garoffalo learned the intricacies of law in his native Venezuela in the 1980s, he knew he would never apply his studies. His love of Thoroughbreds was too great. The pull of the racetrack was too strong.
Garoffalo found himself at the racetrack the day after he completed his law degree in 1988. Now, more than ever, he is convinced he made the right choice as he sends top contender Wildcat Red into the $1-million Florida Derby on Saturday at Gulfstream Park.
“I love what I do,” said Garoffalo, 50, as he stood in the morning sun outside of Barn 2. “I feel blessed to come to work every day.”
He learned the ways of horses at an early age because his father operated a breeding farm in Venezuela. He has trained in the United States since 1999, making Florida his base of operations.
“It was a personal challenge,” Garoffalo said of his decision to leave his country. “I wanted to prove to myself I could make it here.”
It has not always been easy, but he has made significant breakthroughs of late with a stable that typically numbers approximately 20 horses. He earned his first graded stakes victory when Yara bested her field in the Grade 2 Davona Dale Stakes at Gulfstream in 2012. Wildcat Red, in showing the ability to sustain a high cruising speed, is red hot after dominating the seven-furlong, Grade 3 Hutcheson Stakes by 4 ¾ lengths before eking out a head victory against General a Rod in the Grade 2 Fountain of Youth three weeks later.
WILDCAT RED (inside) EDGED GENERAL A RID ON FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH

Photo by Eclipse Sportswire
Worth noting is that Yara was purchased for $22,000. Wildcat Red, already an earner of $490,850, sold at auction for $30,000 as a 2-year-old in training last March at a sale in Ocala, Fla. Suffice it to say that Garoffalo possesses a keen eye for talent.
“I go to every sale and work a lot,” he said. “I see almost every horse. There is always something that calls your attention to a horse.”
He saw much to like in Wildcat Red. He was impressive in the way he breezed, and the way the D’wildcat colt galloped out suggested he might have distance capabilities beyond what his pedigree suggested.
Garoffalo also liked the youngster’s calm demeanor. He exuded class.
The only question was how much he might sell for since Garoffalo had been given a strict budget of $30,000 by Salvatore Delfino.
The trainer’s gut told him to spend every cent on Wildcat Red and he felt fortunate when the bidding stopped at exactly $30,000.
WILDCAT RED IS LED TO THE WINNER'S CIRCLE AFTER THE FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH

Photo by Eclipse Sportswire
“In this business, if you buy a horse, you have to have a gut feeling because the perfect horse is not always the best horse,” he said. “Conformation, pedigree, there are always exceptions to the rule, and Wildcat Red is one of those.”
No matter how Wildcat Red performs in the Florida Derby for jockey John Velazquez, he has already earned enough points to qualify for the Kentucky Derby on May 3. Garoffalo emphasized they are taking things “step by step.”
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At the same time, the 3-year-old is already capturing the imagination of fans in Venezuela, and Garoffalo cannot contain his excitement.
“You always dream. If you don’t dream in this business, you don’t go anywhere,” he said. “At the same time, you have to have your feet on the ground and work hard.”
$1 million Besilu Stables Florida Derby
Saturday, Gulfstream Park, Race 14, 6:48 p.m. ET
3-year-olds, 1 1/8 miles (dirt)

PP

Horse

Jockey

Trainer

Odds

1

Wildcat Red

John Velazquez

Jose Garoffalo

3-1

2

Matador

Julien Leparoux

Mark Casse

15-1

3

Cairo Prince

Luis Saez

Kiaran McLaughlin

9-5

4

Constitution

Javier Castellano

Todd Pletcher

4-1

5

East Hall

Juan Leyva

Bill Kaplan

20-1

6

General a Rod

Joel Rosario

Mike Maker

7-2

7

Allstar

Orlando Bocachica

Marcus Vitali

30-1

8

Spot

Corey Lanerie

Nick Zito

8-1

All runners carry 122 pounds
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