NEWS
Cara Rafaela named Broodmare of the Year
Posted: Wednesday, April 25, 2007 2:01 PM
CARA RAFAELA
Photo by Z
by Pete Denk
Cara Rafaela, dam of 2006 champion three-year-old male Bernardini, was named Broodmare of the Year for 2006 by the Kentucky Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders on Wednesday at Keeneland Race Course.
Owned by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum’s Darley operation, the 14-year-old Quiet American mare is the dam of three winners from six foals of racing age. Bernardini earned $3,060,480 while winning six of eight starts, including the 2006 Preakness (G1), Travers (G1), Jockey Club Gold Cup (G1), Jim Dandy (G2), and Withers (G3) Stakes. The A.P. Indy colt also finished second last year’s Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) before retiring to stud.
Cara Rafaela is out of the Spectacular Bid mare Oil Fable and was bred in Kentucky by Mike Rutherford. She also produced Ile de France, a Storm Cat filly who finished third in the 2002 Santa Anita Oaks (G1).
Cara Rafaela won the 1995 Hollywood Starlet Stakes (G1) and Alcibiades Stakes (G2). She won four of 24 starts and earned $884,452 for Gonzalo Borges Torrealba’s TNT Stud.
Darley purchased Cara Rafaela privately from TNT Stud in 2002 when she was carrying Bernardini. Darley stands her sire, Quiet American, which led to her purchase and ultimately Sheikh Mohammed’s first United States classic winner.
“We were aware of Cara Rafaela because we stand her sire, so when we heard she might be available, Sheikh Mohammed gave me the go-ahead to pursue her,” said John Ferguson, Sheikh Mohammed’s primary bloodstock advisor. “Basically, it was a time when Sheikh Mohammed was keen to expand his interests in the U.S., as at the time his breeding program was used for European ambitions.”
Bernardini’s success led to Darley winning the Eclipse Award as outstanding owner of 2006, an honor Sheikh Mohammed shared with Roy and Gretchen Jackson’s Lael Stables.
Pete Denk is a Thoroughbred Times staff writer
