Caravaggio

Caravaggio (foaled 23 February 2014) is an American-bred, Irish-trained Thoroughbred racehorse. As a two-year-old he was one of the best colts of his generation in Europe when he was unbeaten in four races including the Marble Hill Stakes, Coventry Stakes and Phoenix Stakes. In the following year he took his winning run to six with victories in the Lacken Stakes and the Commonwealth Cup but his only success in four subsequent starts came in the Flying Five. He was retired from racing at the end of 2017 having won seven of his ten starts. Aidan O'Brien described him as the fastest horse that he had ever trained. Background Caravaggio is a grey horse standing 15.3½ hands high bred in Kentucky by Windmill Manor Farms & Petaluma Bloodstock. As a foal in November 2014 he was scheduled to be auctioned at Keeneland but was withdrawn from the sale. He was then acquired by John Magnier's Coolmore Stud organisation and was then sent to Europe where he entered training with Aidan O'Brien at Ballydoyle. During his racing career he was officially owned in partnership by Michael Tabor, Susan Magnier and Derrick Smith but usually carried the dark blue colours of Susan Magnier. He was ridden in all but two of his races by Ryan Moore. He was sired by Scat Daddy, who won the Champagne Stakes in 2006 and the Florida Derby in 2007 before his racing career was ended by injury. Scat Daddy's other offspring include No Nay Never, Daddy Long Legs and Lady Aurelia. Caravaggio's dam Mekko Hokte, from whom he inherited his grey colour, showed some racing ability, winning three of her eight races including the Delta Miss Stakes at Louisiana Downs in 2002. She was descendant of the French broodmare Never Again (foaled 1934) who was the female-line ancestor of numerous major winners including Olwyn, Al Bahathri and Haafhd. Racing career