By Alan Carasso
Cagliostro (Upstart), who was a stakes winner and twice Grade III-placed after being acquired privately by Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani's Wathnan Racing in the spring of 2024, has been sent to Meydan for the Dubai Carnival, where he will be trained by Hamad Al-Jehani. The operation's American representative, Case Clay, confirmed the news via text Monday.
Bred in Florida by Lance Colwell and Janice Clark, Cagliostro was originally trained by Cherie DeVaux for a partnership that included her husband, bloodstock agent David Ingordo, West Point Thoroughbreds, Nice Guys Stable, Talla Racing and James Spry. A maiden winner at second asking the bay was third in the GIII Indiana Derby and runner-up in the GIII Smarty Jones Stakes before finishing unplaced in the GIII Oklahoma Derby.
A Keeneland allowance winner on 4-year-old debut last April, Cagliostro was subsequently acquired by Wathnan Racing and, with DeVaux still handling training duties, was run down late by Highland Falls (Curlin) in the GIII Blame Stakes June 1 ahead of a one-length defeat of the commonly owned Tumbarumba (Oscar Performance) in the June 30 Hanshin Stakes going the one-turn mile at Churchill Downs. A stumbling start cost Cagliostro any chance of making an impact in the Aug. 24 GI Forego Stakes at Saratoga and he was third as the odds-on favorite in the GIII Ack Ack Stakes back in Louisville Sept. 28. Cagliostro was most recently unplaced in the GI Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile at Del Mar Nov. 2.
Should he acclimatize rapidly, it is possible the 5-year-old could be ready for a race such as the G3 Jebel Ali Mile on Feb. 15, or if more time is needed, the G3 Burj Nahaar at Meydan on Super Saturday Mar. 1. The latter is the course-and-distance prep for the $1-million G2 Godolphin Mile on the Dubai World Cup undercard Apr. 5. Cagliostro also holds an entry for the $20-million G1 Saudi Cup on Feb. 22.
Good luck to this guy. https://t.co/U5Vlnwg6t4
— Cherie DeVaux (@reredevaux) January 13, 2025
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