Carnauba (USA)
April 23, 1972 – c. 1995
Noholme II (AUS) x Carnival Queen (USA), by Amerigo (GB)
Family 16-g
April 23, 1972 – c. 1995
Noholme II (AUS) x Carnival Queen (USA), by Amerigo (GB)
Family 16-g
Carnauba was seemingly headed for greater racing glory after sealing the leadership of her division in Italy for a second straight year with a win in the 1975 Oaks d’Italia (ITY-G1). Instead, her path led to an Italian butcher shop, where she had been disposed of by a gang of horsenappers who had hoped to extort a large ransom from owner Nelson Bunker Hunt. She was less than 24 hours away from slaughter when she was rescued. Returned to the United States, she was fairly successful as a broodmare, with a minor stakes winner and several useful producers among her daughters.
Race record
14 starts, 8 wins, 4 seconds, 2 thirds, US$96,142 (converted from English and Italian earnings)
1974:
1975:
Honors
As an individual
A strong, robust dark bay or brown mare, Carnauba stood over 16 hands. She had an excellent turn of foot.
As a producer
Carnauba produced 11 named foals, of which eight started and six won. Her important foals are as follow:
Connections
Foaled in Florida, Carnauba was bred by Anderson Fowler. She was owned by Nelson Bunker Hunt and trained by Luigi Turner. She was sold to Harry T. Mangurian Jr. for US$35,000 from the Nelson Bunker Hunt dispersal at the 1988 Keeneland January mixed sale. She last appears in produce records as barren in 1995.
Pedigree notes
Carnauba is inbred 4x5 to six-time English/Irish champion sire Hyperion (winner of the 1933 Derby Stakes and St. Leger Stakes) and 5x5 to two-time English/Irish champion sire Phalaris, the best English sprinter of his day. She is a half sister to Grade 3 winner Hey Rube (by Intentionally) and Grade 3-placed stakes winner King of Mardi Gras (by Tentam). She is also a half sister to multiple Grade 3 winner Pink Tights (by Vertex), dam of 1983 Sapling Stakes (USA-G1) winner Smart N Slick (by Smarten). In addition, she is a half sister to Carnival Princess (by Prince John), dam of 1988 Prix de la Forêt (FR-G1) winner Salse (by Topsider), second dam of multiple Grade 2 winner Fleet Lady, and third dam of 2008 American champion 2-year-old male Midshipman and Grade 2 winner Fast Cookie.
Carnauba and her siblings are out of the winning Amerigo mare Carnival Queen, a half sister to the good stakes winner Three Rings (by Blue Larkspur). Carnival Queen is also a half sister to On Your Right (by Parnassus), dam of Puerto Rican stakes winner Cecil Blair (by Call Me Prince).
Carnival Queen, in turn, is out of unplaced Circus Ring (by Bull Dog), a half sister to 1941 Saratoga Special winner Amphitheatre (by Sir Gallahad III). Produced from the unraced St. James mare Arena (whose Chicle half sister Goose Egg won the 1929 Spinaway Stakes and produced 1941 Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes winner Shut Out, by Equipoise), Circus Ring is also a half sister to Colosseum (by Ariel), second dam of 1956 American champion 2-year-old filly Leallah, the good juvenile filly Lea Lane, and 1961 Tropical Park Handicap winner Bourbon Prince.
Books and media
Carnauba’s story served as the basis for the plot of the 1984 movie Rare Breed, which was directed by David Nelson.
Fun facts
Last updated: November 27, 2024
Race record
14 starts, 8 wins, 4 seconds, 2 thirds, US$96,142 (converted from English and Italian earnings)
1974:
- Won Premio Chiusura (ITY-G2, 1400mT San Siro)
- Won Criterium di Roma (ITY, Capannelle)
- 2nd Premio Primi Passi (ITY, 1200mT, San Siro)
1975:
- Won Oaks d'Italia (ITY-G1, 2200mT, San Siro)
- Won Fred Darling Stakes (ENG-G3, 7FT, Newbury)
- Won Premio del Piazzale (ITY, 1600mT, San Siro)
- Won Premio Seregno (ITY, 1600mT, San Siro)
- 3rd Premio Pisa (ITY-G3, 1600mT, San Rossore)
Honors
- Italian champion 2-year-old filly (1974)
- Italian champion 3-year-old filly (1975)
As an individual
A strong, robust dark bay or brown mare, Carnauba stood over 16 hands. She had an excellent turn of foot.
As a producer
Carnauba produced 11 named foals, of which eight started and six won. Her important foals are as follow:
- Spirited Away (1977, by Vaguely Noble) never raced but produced multiple stakes winner Noble Regent (by Vice Regent).
- Rich and Riotous (1978, by Empery) won one of her 10 starts. She is the dam of multiple French Group 2 winner Shaanxi (by Zilzal) and Grade 2-placed listed stakes winner Kraemer (by Lyphard). She is also the third dam of English Group 3 winner Ouqba.
- Lyphard’s Holme (1980, by Lyphard) won two of her nine starts. She is the dam of listed stakes winners Vijaya (by Lear Fan) and Takaddum (by Riverman).
- Pay the Ransom (1984, by J. O. Tobin) never raced but is the third dam of multiple Grade 2 winner Travel Column.
- Valid Carnauba (1989, by Valid Appeal) won the 1992 Siren Stakes at Detroit. She is the dam of multiple Grade 3 winner Ebony Breeze (by Belong to Me) and Grade 2-placed stakes winner Boastful (by Cozzene).
- Carnival Appeal (1990, by Valid Appeal) won two of her 14 starts. She is the third dam of Australian Group 3 winner Duca Valentinois.
Connections
Foaled in Florida, Carnauba was bred by Anderson Fowler. She was owned by Nelson Bunker Hunt and trained by Luigi Turner. She was sold to Harry T. Mangurian Jr. for US$35,000 from the Nelson Bunker Hunt dispersal at the 1988 Keeneland January mixed sale. She last appears in produce records as barren in 1995.
Pedigree notes
Carnauba is inbred 4x5 to six-time English/Irish champion sire Hyperion (winner of the 1933 Derby Stakes and St. Leger Stakes) and 5x5 to two-time English/Irish champion sire Phalaris, the best English sprinter of his day. She is a half sister to Grade 3 winner Hey Rube (by Intentionally) and Grade 3-placed stakes winner King of Mardi Gras (by Tentam). She is also a half sister to multiple Grade 3 winner Pink Tights (by Vertex), dam of 1983 Sapling Stakes (USA-G1) winner Smart N Slick (by Smarten). In addition, she is a half sister to Carnival Princess (by Prince John), dam of 1988 Prix de la Forêt (FR-G1) winner Salse (by Topsider), second dam of multiple Grade 2 winner Fleet Lady, and third dam of 2008 American champion 2-year-old male Midshipman and Grade 2 winner Fast Cookie.
Carnauba and her siblings are out of the winning Amerigo mare Carnival Queen, a half sister to the good stakes winner Three Rings (by Blue Larkspur). Carnival Queen is also a half sister to On Your Right (by Parnassus), dam of Puerto Rican stakes winner Cecil Blair (by Call Me Prince).
Carnival Queen, in turn, is out of unplaced Circus Ring (by Bull Dog), a half sister to 1941 Saratoga Special winner Amphitheatre (by Sir Gallahad III). Produced from the unraced St. James mare Arena (whose Chicle half sister Goose Egg won the 1929 Spinaway Stakes and produced 1941 Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes winner Shut Out, by Equipoise), Circus Ring is also a half sister to Colosseum (by Ariel), second dam of 1956 American champion 2-year-old filly Leallah, the good juvenile filly Lea Lane, and 1961 Tropical Park Handicap winner Bourbon Prince.
Books and media
Carnauba’s story served as the basis for the plot of the 1984 movie Rare Breed, which was directed by David Nelson.
Fun facts
- Carnauba is a wax produced by the carnauba palm, a plant native to northeastern Brazil. Popular as a wax for cars, surfboards, and furniture, it is also used in the paper, pharmaceutical, and cosmetics industries and as a food additive.
- Carnauba’s horsenappers originally demanded an amount reported as US$250,000 or US$300,000 to ensure her safe return. Hunt refused to pay, fearing that yielding would only encourage more horse thefts, and the horsenappers kept dropping the ransom request until they reached a figure of US$15,000. At that point, Hunt agreed to pretend to pay the ransom as part of a police sting to capture the thieves. The sting succeeded, but the thieves refused to disclose Carnauba’s location, and only some astute detective work by Luigi Turner’s son traced her to the butcher shop. In the end, Carnauba had been sold for about US$300—around 30 cents a pound, then the going rate in Milan for horses sold for meat.
- Prior to Carnauba’s being sold to the butcher shop, her horsenappers had concealed her among the mounts at a girl’s riding academy after chopping off most of her mane and removing her racing plates in a crude attempt at disguise. While the filly was not recognized while there, she proved too big and spirited for most of the girls to handle, forcing the thieves to find a way to get rid of her before the truth could come out.
Last updated: November 27, 2024