Sassicaia, Catalina Red to Elite Thoroughbreds

Sassicaia, a grade 3 winner from the Fall Aspen family and a former Fasig-Tipton Florida sale-topper, has been retired to stand at Michele Rodriguez's Elite Thoroughbreds in a deal brokered by Chad Schumer of Schumer Bloodstock. Grade 2 winner Catalina Red will also stand at the Folsom, La., farm.

A son of Bernardini , Sassicaia first made headlines when sold by Hartley/De Renzo Thoroughbreds for a sale-topping $1.6 million to Steve Young at the 2013 Fasig-Tipton Florida select 2-year-olds in training sale.

"This was the best horse in the sale and one of the fastest Bernardinis I've seen," Young told reporters. "It's from the same cross as (grade 1 winner) Turbulent Descent."

Sassicaia went on to win four races for owner Robert LaPenta, including the grade 3 Toboggan Stakes at Aqueduct, defeating subsequent Carter Handicap (G1) winner Green Gratto, who finished third. A tough and consistent performer, he retires with a record of 4-6-2 from 20 starts and earnings of $307,127.

Bred in Kentucky by Masaichiro Abe, Sassicaia is out of the Forestry mare Hishi Aspen. Grade 1 winner Northern Aspen is his third dam and the blue hen mare Fall Aspen, is his fourth dam.

Fall Aspen's dynasty is responsible for a number of group/grade 1-producing stallions, including Dubai Millennium, who left behind leading sire Dubawi in his sole crop, and champion sire Fort Wood. 

"Sassicaia demonstrated speed and talent from an early age, as he showed when topping the Fasig-Tipton Florida Sale, which he went on to maintain during a successful and durable career," said Chad Schumer. "Not only that, he has a pedigree out of the top drawer being a Bernardini from the famed Fall Aspen family. We are confident that he has all the attributes to excel in the Louisiana market."

A syndication is being formed for Sassicaia and a number of lifetime breeding rights are available. His fee will be set at a later date.

Churchill Downs Stakes (G2) winner Catalina Red will also join the roster at Elite Thoroughbreds with a 2018 fee to be determined.

The son of Munnings , out of the stakes-placed Freud  mare Lovely Dream, has a race record of 5-1-3 from 13 starts and $549,885 in earnings.

In addition to the Churchill Downs Stakes, Catalina Red won the Inaugural, Pasco, Jackson Bend, and Hilton Garden Inn/Hampton Inn and Suites Sprint stakes.  He also finished third in the 2016 Alfred G. Vanderbilt Handicap (G1) behind A.P. Indian and Holy Boss .