Cara Rafaela (USA)
March 30, 1993 – December 30, 2016
Quiet American (USA) x Oil Fable (USA), by Spectactular Bid (USA)
Family 4-m
March 30, 1993 – December 30, 2016
Quiet American (USA) x Oil Fable (USA), by Spectactular Bid (USA)
Family 4-m
While Cara Rafaela was clearly a high-class filly, she made a habit of running into something a little better for much of her career, ending up with seven Grade I placings against her lone Grade I win. Her broodmare career was similarly spotty. Although she won Kentucky Broodmare of the Year honors for 2006 based on the merits of her champion son Bernardini, he was the only stakes winner that she produced from 14 named foals in spite of repeated assignations with America's best stallions. Her long-term influence remains to be seen.
Race record
24 starts, 4 wins, 8 seconds, 2 thirds, US$884,452
1995:
1996:
1997:
As an individual
A well-made gray mare, Cara Rafaela had prominent withers and a strong hind leg..
As a producer
Cara Rafaela produced 14 named foals, of which 11 started and six won. Her important foals are as follow:
Connections
Foaled in Kentucky, Cara Rafaela was bred by Mike Rutherford. After selling for US$70,000 at the 1994 Keeneland September yearling sale, she raced in the silks of Gonzalo Borges Torrealba's Stud TNT. She was trained by D. Wayne Lukas. She was acquired privately from Torrealba by Darley in 2002, with Bernardini in utero. She was pensioned from broodmare duty in 2014 and was humanely destroyed in December 2016 due to the infirmities of old age.
Pedigree notes
Cara Rafaela is inbred 4x4 to 1958 Canadian Horse of the Year Nearctic and 5x5 to two-time American Horse of the Year Native Dancer. She is a half sister to multiple Grade III winner Abaginone (by Devil's Bag) and to Port Isabel (by Time to Explode), dam of listed stakes winner Portside (by Congrats). She is also a half sister to Nogalus (by Trempolino), second dam of 2016 Gran Premio Polla de Potrancas (PER-I) winner Secret Garden.
Oil Fable, the dam of Cara Rafaela, is a winning half sister to Southern Fable (by Exclusive Native), dam of listed stakes winner Up Dip (by Kerosene), and to stakes-placed Haiati (by Alydar), dam of restricted stakes winner Haleakala (by Kris). She is also a half sister to Alyfable (by Alydar), dam of stakes winner Megan's Leprechaun (by Green Dancer).
Oil Fable, in turn, is out of 1982 Palomar Handicap (USA-III) winner Northern Fable (by Northern Dancer), whose half sister Affirmative Fable (by Affirmed) is the dam of English Group III winner Majmu (by Al Nasr) and the second dam of multiple Group I winner Muhtathir. Another half sister to Northern Fable, Prospector's Fable (by Mr. Prospector), is the second dam of Grade II winner Hook and Ladder. The next dam in Cara Rafaela's tail-female line, Fairway Fable (by Never Bend), is one of four stakes winners produced from the Prince John mare Fairway Fun, whose foals also include Grade II winner Fairway Flyer (by Nashua) and Grade III winner Torsion (by Never Bend).
Fun facts
Race record
24 starts, 4 wins, 8 seconds, 2 thirds, US$884,452
1995:
- Won Hollywood Starlet Stakes (USA-I, 8.5FD, Hollywood)
- Won Alcibiades Stakes (USA-II, 8.5FD, Keeneland)
- 2nd Breeders' Cup Juvenile Stakes (USA-I, 8.5FD, Belmont)
- 2nd Matron Stakes (USA-I, 8FD, Belmont)
1996:
- 2nd Ashland Stakes (USA-I, 8.5FD, Keeneland)
- 2nd Santa Anita Oaks (USA-I, 8.5FD, Santa Anita)
- 2nd Las Virgenes Stakes (USA-I, 8FD, Santa Anita)
- 2nd Black-Eyed Susan Stakes (USA-II, 9FD, Pimlico)
- 3rd Kentucky Oaks (USA-I, 9FD, Churchill Downs)
- 3rd Mother Goose Stakes (USA-I, 9FD, Belmont)
1997:
- Won Pio Pico Stakes (USA-R, 6.5FD, Fairplex)
As an individual
A well-made gray mare, Cara Rafaela had prominent withers and a strong hind leg..
As a producer
Cara Rafaela produced 14 named foals, of which 11 started and six won. Her important foals are as follow:
- Ile de France (1999, by Storm Cat) ran third in the 2002 Santa Anita Oaks (USA-I). She is the dam of multiple Grade I winner Love and Pride (by A.P. Indy).
- Lovely Regina (2001, by Deputy Minister) failed to win in three tries but is the dam of multiple Grade III winner Thiskyhasnolimit (by Sky Mesa).
- Bernardini (2003, by A.P. Indy) was the champion American 3-year-old male of 2006. While not a terribly consistent stallion, he has sired 14 Grade or Group I winners through the end of 2017.
Connections
Foaled in Kentucky, Cara Rafaela was bred by Mike Rutherford. After selling for US$70,000 at the 1994 Keeneland September yearling sale, she raced in the silks of Gonzalo Borges Torrealba's Stud TNT. She was trained by D. Wayne Lukas. She was acquired privately from Torrealba by Darley in 2002, with Bernardini in utero. She was pensioned from broodmare duty in 2014 and was humanely destroyed in December 2016 due to the infirmities of old age.
Pedigree notes
Cara Rafaela is inbred 4x4 to 1958 Canadian Horse of the Year Nearctic and 5x5 to two-time American Horse of the Year Native Dancer. She is a half sister to multiple Grade III winner Abaginone (by Devil's Bag) and to Port Isabel (by Time to Explode), dam of listed stakes winner Portside (by Congrats). She is also a half sister to Nogalus (by Trempolino), second dam of 2016 Gran Premio Polla de Potrancas (PER-I) winner Secret Garden.
Oil Fable, the dam of Cara Rafaela, is a winning half sister to Southern Fable (by Exclusive Native), dam of listed stakes winner Up Dip (by Kerosene), and to stakes-placed Haiati (by Alydar), dam of restricted stakes winner Haleakala (by Kris). She is also a half sister to Alyfable (by Alydar), dam of stakes winner Megan's Leprechaun (by Green Dancer).
Oil Fable, in turn, is out of 1982 Palomar Handicap (USA-III) winner Northern Fable (by Northern Dancer), whose half sister Affirmative Fable (by Affirmed) is the dam of English Group III winner Majmu (by Al Nasr) and the second dam of multiple Group I winner Muhtathir. Another half sister to Northern Fable, Prospector's Fable (by Mr. Prospector), is the second dam of Grade II winner Hook and Ladder. The next dam in Cara Rafaela's tail-female line, Fairway Fable (by Never Bend), is one of four stakes winners produced from the Prince John mare Fairway Fun, whose foals also include Grade II winner Fairway Flyer (by Nashua) and Grade III winner Torsion (by Never Bend).
Fun facts
- Cara Rafaela (“Dear Rafaela” in Italian) was named for her owner's daughter.