By Jill Williams
He's not only back, he might be even better than he was last year. 'TDN Rising Star' Carl Spackler (Ire) (h, 5, Lope de Vega {Ire})–Zindaya, by More Than Ready), a back-to-back Grade I winner in 2024 before an uncharacteristic off-the-board finish in the GI Breeders' Cup Mile, unleashed a scintillating turn of foot in his 5-year-old debut at Keeneland Friday, capturing the $650,000 GI Maker's Mark Mile Stakes by 4 1/4 widening lengths. There was no catching the 4-5 favorite as 3-1 second choice Integration (Quality Road), most recently second in the GI Pegasus World Cup Turf, chased him home and last year's GI Belmont Derby winner Trikari (Oscar Performance) got up for third.
Make no mistake; Carl Spackler was very, very good last year. Winner of four black-type events in 2024, including a victory over this course in October when he captured the GI Coolmore Turf Mile Stakes and both the GI Fourstardave Handicap and GIII Kelso Stakes at Saratoga, Carl Spackler was an Eclipse Award finalist in the division that ultimately went to Rebel's Romance (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}). However, his performance Friday unlocked a new level of flamboyance throughout the stretch.
“Turning for home, I thought maybe I moved too soon, but he was just that good,” said Flavien Prat, who was subbing for regular pilot Tyler Gaffalione. Prat picked up the mount while Gaffalione recovers from a broken ankle.
CarI Spackler, with his distinctive facial markings, settled into a restrained fourth on the outside behind the Maker's Mark early leader, last-out GIII Tampa Bay Stakes runner-up Northern Invader (Collected), who set a :23.67 and :48.06 pace. Done with biding his time after the backstretch journey, Carl Spackler unleashed an Arazi-like move when Prat gave him his cue on the final turn. The popular chestnut ranged up in full flight while several paths wide and snatched a head advantage while still two furlongs from home. Under little more than a hand ride, Carl Spackler quickly opened up a daylight lead in the stretch. Prat gave him a right-handed reminder down the lane, but victory was well in hand as the duo cruised under the wire much the best under a mild drive. They covered the eight furlongs over a good course in 1:36.56, slower than his Turf Mile last year (1:34.23), but that was over firm going and it's hard to beat the visual impression of Friday's performance.
“He went a little quicker than I was expecting, to be honest,” said Prat. “I was traveling well, and I thought the leader kind of had an easy lead. So I tipped him out just to make sure I could get myself going, and that's when he really jumped on the bridle.”
Among Carl Spackler's six lifetime graded wins were back-to-back GII Hall of Fame and GIII Saranac scores at the Spa in 2023. He looked on his way to being in the upper echelon of 3-year-old turf runners in the U.S. when he colicked that fall, necessitating surgery and eight months away from the races. He recorded four consecutive triple-digit Beyer Speed Figures last year, including a career-top 106 in the Fourstardave. Carl Spackler joins Wise Dan and Perfect Soul (Ire) as Turf Mile winners who came back the next spring to win the Maker's Mark Mile.
The Maker's Mark Mile win was one of eight graded wins overall at Keeneland for e Five Racing Thoroughbreds, whose Bob Edwards was on hand to receive a Keeneland tray. In addition to Carl Spackler, e Five Racing's other graded winners in Lexington have included Rushing Fall (More Than Ready) and Good Magic (Curlin).
“It's really cool to be in that list [of Keeneland tray honorees],” said Edwards. Regarding Carl Spackler, “He's a homebred, which is spectacular for us, and obviously a family favorite.”
Pedigree Notes:
Fifth Avenue Bloodstock, a breeding arm of e Five Racing, bred Carl Spackler in Ireland, but has since returned his dam to the U.S. where she produced an Uncle Mo colt last year and a Justify colt for the operation Mar. 3. Among Zindaya's wins for e Five were the 2016 GII Goldikova Stakes. A half-sister to GISW Western Aristocrat (Mr. Greeley), Zindaya has also produced last October's G3 Darley Prix des Reservoirs runner-up, Sandtrap (Ire), a full-brother to Carl Spackler. e Five sold Sandtrap for 350,000gns at the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale in Book 1 to A.C. Elliott. Carl Spackler was a 350,000gns RNA at that same sale.
Carl Spackler is one of 76 graded/group winners worldwide for Lope de Vega, a son of Shamardal who stands at Ballylinch Stud in County Kilkenny. Also the sire of 145 black-type winners, the wildly successful Lope de Vega finished 2024 second on the European sire list only to Dubawi (Ire) by earnings, but led in several metrics, including by Group 1/Grade I winners (six) and by black-type winners (35).
⛳ #6 CARL SPACKLER ($3.66) is back!! The five-year-old horse by Lope De Vega leaves his competition behind in the $650,000 Maker's Mark Mile (G1) at @KeenelandRacing. Flavien Prat was aboard for trainer Chad Brown.
A fitting win during Masters Week! pic.twitter.com/AHcrCWF37r
— FanDuel Racing (@FanDuel_Racing) April 11, 2025
Friday, Keeneland
MAKER'S MARK MILE S.-GI, $552,013, Keeneland, 4-11, 4yo/up, 1mT, 1:36.56, gd.
1–CARL SPACKLER (IRE), 123, h, 5, by Lope de Vega (Ire)
1st Dam: Zindaya (GSW, $567,240),
by More Than Ready
2nd Dam: Aristocratic Lady, by Kris S.
3rd Dam: American Dynasty, by Quiet American
'TDN Rising Star'. (350,000gns RNA Ylg '21 TATOCT). O-e Five
Racing Thoroughbreds LLC; B-Fifth Avenue Bloodstock (IRE);
T-Chad C. Brown; J-Flavien Prat. $302,250. Lifetime Record:
12-8-1-0, $1,910,725. Werk Nick Rating: C+.
Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Integration, 123, h, 5, Quality Road–Harmonize, by Scat
Daddy. ($700,000 Ylg '21 FTSAUG). O-West Point
Thoroughbreds and Woodford Racing LLC; B-Larkin Armstrong
(KY); T-Claude R. McGaughey III. $126,750.
3–Trikari, 123, c, 4, Oscar Performance–Dynamic Holiday,
by Harlan's Holiday. ($9,000 Ylg '22 KEEJAN; $27,500 Ylg '22
OBSOCT). O-Amerman Racing LLC; B-Michael A Slezak & Amy
Boll (KY); T-H. Graham Motion. $63,375.
Margins: 4 1/4, 1HF, HD. Odds: 0.83, 3.10, 6.34.
Also Ran: Northern Invader, Grand Aspen, Funtastic Again, Silent Heart. Scratched: Santorini, Seminole Chief.
Click for the Equibase.com chart and the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.
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