Carpe Diem Off to a Great Start

There wasn’t much doubt about Claiborne Breeders’ Futurity (gr. I) winner Carpe Diem right from the minute he was born at Beau Lane’s Woodline Farm near Paris, Ky.

“Beau called me the first day and said he was a beauty,” said Bob Cummins, who with his wife, Annette, bred the colt in the name of their Coffee Pot Stable. “The mare (Rebridled Dreams) was getting good horses (stakes winners Doncaster Rover and J.B.’s Thunder) and it was a good nick.”

Indeed, daughters of Unbridled's Song cross well with Giant's Causeway  , producing 36% winners, 8% stakes winners, and 6% graded stakes winners, so the breeders made the right call.

Carpe Diem, being pointed to the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (gr. I) Nov. 1, has continued to progress steadily. The Cumminses sold him through Lane’s consignment for $550,000 at the 2013 Keeneland September yearling sale to Northwest Stud, which turned around and received $1.6 million for him at the 2014 Ocala Breeders’ Sales Co.’s March auction of 2-year-olds. Barbara Banke’s Stonestreet Farm, in partnership with Kenny Troutt’s WinStar Farm, now race Carpe Diem in partnership.

“It is rare to have a horse as well-bred as he is at a 2-year-old sale,” noted Stonestreet advisor John Moynihan. “The cross has produced Hold Me Back  , plus he looks like a 3-year-old. He is gorgeous and precocious-looking.”

Because Stonestreet and WinStar frequently bid on the same horses at auction, the two entities decided to forge a partnership on Carpe Diem. Making it easier is the fact they both use trainer Todd Pletcher, and only one, WinStar, stands stallions.

Most eyes are on American Pharoah, who won convincingly at Santa Anita Park the week before the Futurity. But Carpe Diem, in his first race around two turns, has fans excited about the potential match-up in the Juvenile. Carpe Diem cruised to a 6 1/4-length win in the Futurity going 8 1/2 furlongs, and has won both of his starts.

In at least one way, Carpe Diem is reminiscent of another impressive, large Thoroughbred, Secretariat.

“I once met the man who was the farm manager for Mr. Chenery’s Meadow Stud,” said Lane, who raised Carpe Diem. “I asked him when did he know that Secretariat was going to be Secretariat. He told me he never did because he never saw him run in the paddock.

“This horse was the same. He stood and watched the others run. He never got a scratch on him.”

Perhaps Carpe Diem was saving himself for bigger and better things. And he is certainly on the cusp of that.