Vino Rosso (USA)
March 29, 2015 – Living
Curlin (USA) x Mythical Bride (USA), by Street Cry (IRE)
Family 2-f
March 29, 2015 – Living
Curlin (USA) x Mythical Bride (USA), by Street Cry (IRE)
Family 2-f
A lightly raced horse, Vino Rosso was nonetheless the most consistent runner of the American older males on dirt in 2019, and he sealed an Eclipse Award with a powerful win in the Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic (USA-G1). That race became his swan song as he was retired soon afterward to take up stallion duties.
Race record
15 starts, 6 wins, 1 second, 3 thirds, US$4,803,125
2018:
2019:
Honors
Eclipse Award, American champion older dirt male (2019)
Assessments
Rated at 126 pounds on the 2019 Longines World’s Best Racehorse Rankings, 2 pounds below co-highweights Crystal Ocean (the European co- highweight older male over 11-14 furlongs), Enable (the European Horse of the Year), and Waldgeist (who shared honors with Crystal Ocean among European older males over 11-14 furlongs), but tops among dirt runners worldwide.
As an individual
A handsome, well-balanced chestnut horse, Vino Rosso bears a marked resemblance to his sire, Curlin, but is somewhat lighter-bodied. He needed some time to develop both physically and mentally and was put aside after finishing fifth in the 2018 Runhappy Travers Stakes Presented by NYRA Bets (USA-G1) to let him mature, a decision that paid off well.
As a stallion
Vino Rosso entered stud in 2020 at Spendthrift Farm. He got his first winner on May 15, 2023, when his son Laugh Now won a 4½ furlong maiden special weight at Horseshoe Indiana. On July 2, 2023, his son The Wine Steward became his first stakes winner, scoring in the Bashford Manor Stakes at the Churchill Downs at Ellis Park meeting.
Connections
Foaled in Kentucky, Vino Rosso was bred by John D. Gunther, who owns Glennwood Farm with his daughter, Tanya Gunther. The horse was owned by Mike Repole (Repole Stable) and Vinnie Viola (St. Elias Stable), who purchased the animal through agent J. J. Crupi for US$410,000 at the 2016 Keeneland September yearling sale. Trained by Todd Pletcher, Vino Rosso was ridden to his Breeders’ Cup Classic win by Irad Ortiz Jr. Vino Rosso entered stud in Kentucky in 2020 at Spendthrift Farm; he has also shuttled to Australia.
Pedigree notes
Vino Rosso is inbred 3x4 to two-time American champion sires Mr. Prospector and Deputy Minister. His dam Mythical Bride, who cost John Gunther US$42,000 at the 2011 Keeneland November mixed sale, is a winning half sister to 2015 Hawthorne Gold Cup Handicap (USA-G2) and 2014 Belmont Stakes (USA-G1) runner-up Commissioner (by A.P. Indy) and 2013 Vigil Stakes (CAN-G3) winner Laugh Track (by Distorted Humor).
Mythical Bride and her siblings are out of Grade 3-placed listed stakes winner Flaming Heart (by Touch Gold), whose Grade 3-placed half sister Dash for Money (by General Meeting) is the dam of multiple stakes winners No Spin (by Johannesburg) and So Lonesome (by Awesome Again) and the second dam of 2023 RUNHAPPY Santa Anita Derby (USA-G1) winner Practical Move. Flaming Heart, in turn, is out of multiple stakes winner Hot Lear (by Lear Fan), a half sister to listed stakes winner Intern (by Dynaformer) and stakes winner Love Medicine (by Mining). The last-named mare is the dam of 2005 Frank J. DeFrancis Memorial Dash Stakes (USA-G1) winner I’m the Tiger (by Siphon). Hot Lear is also a half sister to Staff Nurse (by Arch), dam of Grade 3 winner Great Minds (by Stroll)., and to Willow Point (by Fusaichi Pegasus), dam of listed stakes winner Giant Samurai (by First Samurai).
The next dam in Vino Rosso’s tail-female line is Medicine Woman (by the stakes-winning Dr. Fager horse Dr. Blum), winner of the 1990 Brown and Williamson Handicap (USA-G3). Produced from stakes-placed Julita (by Lt. Stevens), Medicine Woman is a full sister to Medical Affair, dam of Grade 1-placed Grade 3 winner Blumin Affair (by Dynaformer), and a half sister to Quintessent Queen (by To the Quick), dam of multiple restricted stakes winner Toroweap (by Pirouette).
Books and media
Footage of Vino Rosso’s win in the 2019 Breeders’ Cup Classic can be viewed at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S38j5m69zTk.
Fun facts
Last updated: December 30, 2023
Race record
15 starts, 6 wins, 1 second, 3 thirds, US$4,803,125
2018:
- Won Wood Memorial S. Presented by NYRA Bets (USA-G2, 9FD, Aqueduct)
- 3rd Jim Dandy Stakes (USA-G2, 9FD, Saratoga)
- 3rd Sam F. Davis Stakes (USA-G3, 8.5FD, Tampa Bay Downs)
2019:
- Won Longines Breeders' Cup Classic (USA-G1, 10FD, Santa Anita)
- Won Gold Cup at Santa Anita Stakes (USA-G1, 10FD, Santa Anita)
- Won Stymie Stakes (USA-L, 8FD, Aqueduct)
- 2nd Jockey Club Gold Cup Stakes (USA-G1, 10FD, Belmont; disqualified from first)
- 3rd Whitney Stakes (USA-G1, 9FD, Saratoga)
Honors
Eclipse Award, American champion older dirt male (2019)
Assessments
Rated at 126 pounds on the 2019 Longines World’s Best Racehorse Rankings, 2 pounds below co-highweights Crystal Ocean (the European co- highweight older male over 11-14 furlongs), Enable (the European Horse of the Year), and Waldgeist (who shared honors with Crystal Ocean among European older males over 11-14 furlongs), but tops among dirt runners worldwide.
As an individual
A handsome, well-balanced chestnut horse, Vino Rosso bears a marked resemblance to his sire, Curlin, but is somewhat lighter-bodied. He needed some time to develop both physically and mentally and was put aside after finishing fifth in the 2018 Runhappy Travers Stakes Presented by NYRA Bets (USA-G1) to let him mature, a decision that paid off well.
As a stallion
Vino Rosso entered stud in 2020 at Spendthrift Farm. He got his first winner on May 15, 2023, when his son Laugh Now won a 4½ furlong maiden special weight at Horseshoe Indiana. On July 2, 2023, his son The Wine Steward became his first stakes winner, scoring in the Bashford Manor Stakes at the Churchill Downs at Ellis Park meeting.
Connections
Foaled in Kentucky, Vino Rosso was bred by John D. Gunther, who owns Glennwood Farm with his daughter, Tanya Gunther. The horse was owned by Mike Repole (Repole Stable) and Vinnie Viola (St. Elias Stable), who purchased the animal through agent J. J. Crupi for US$410,000 at the 2016 Keeneland September yearling sale. Trained by Todd Pletcher, Vino Rosso was ridden to his Breeders’ Cup Classic win by Irad Ortiz Jr. Vino Rosso entered stud in Kentucky in 2020 at Spendthrift Farm; he has also shuttled to Australia.
Pedigree notes
Vino Rosso is inbred 3x4 to two-time American champion sires Mr. Prospector and Deputy Minister. His dam Mythical Bride, who cost John Gunther US$42,000 at the 2011 Keeneland November mixed sale, is a winning half sister to 2015 Hawthorne Gold Cup Handicap (USA-G2) and 2014 Belmont Stakes (USA-G1) runner-up Commissioner (by A.P. Indy) and 2013 Vigil Stakes (CAN-G3) winner Laugh Track (by Distorted Humor).
Mythical Bride and her siblings are out of Grade 3-placed listed stakes winner Flaming Heart (by Touch Gold), whose Grade 3-placed half sister Dash for Money (by General Meeting) is the dam of multiple stakes winners No Spin (by Johannesburg) and So Lonesome (by Awesome Again) and the second dam of 2023 RUNHAPPY Santa Anita Derby (USA-G1) winner Practical Move. Flaming Heart, in turn, is out of multiple stakes winner Hot Lear (by Lear Fan), a half sister to listed stakes winner Intern (by Dynaformer) and stakes winner Love Medicine (by Mining). The last-named mare is the dam of 2005 Frank J. DeFrancis Memorial Dash Stakes (USA-G1) winner I’m the Tiger (by Siphon). Hot Lear is also a half sister to Staff Nurse (by Arch), dam of Grade 3 winner Great Minds (by Stroll)., and to Willow Point (by Fusaichi Pegasus), dam of listed stakes winner Giant Samurai (by First Samurai).
The next dam in Vino Rosso’s tail-female line is Medicine Woman (by the stakes-winning Dr. Fager horse Dr. Blum), winner of the 1990 Brown and Williamson Handicap (USA-G3). Produced from stakes-placed Julita (by Lt. Stevens), Medicine Woman is a full sister to Medical Affair, dam of Grade 1-placed Grade 3 winner Blumin Affair (by Dynaformer), and a half sister to Quintessent Queen (by To the Quick), dam of multiple restricted stakes winner Toroweap (by Pirouette).
Books and media
Footage of Vino Rosso’s win in the 2019 Breeders’ Cup Classic can be viewed at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S38j5m69zTk.
Fun facts
- Vino Rosso means “red wine” in Italian.
- As a youngster at Glennwood Farm, Vino Rosso was a paddock mate of 2018 American Triple Crown winner and Horse of the Year Justify and of 2018 St. James’s Palace Stakes (ENG-G1) winner Without Parole.
Last updated: December 30, 2023