Racing fans didn't have to wait long for the first feel-good story of 2021.
Catemaco who almost died as a foal, rewarded his breeder, trainer and co-owner Kristin Mulhall by winning his debut on January 1st Santa Anita Park a first special weight worth $62,500 in the sixth race of the day. The son of Girolamo fought for the lead in the sprint with split times of :21.44 and :44.29 and, under Juan Hernandez, moved ahead by four lengths with six furlongs on a quick track in 1:09.08.
Although he made his debut tardy, when he was just four years antique, the fact that he survived to race is a tribute to Mulhall and the others who looked after him when his life was in danger was.
In an interview with TVG before Friday's race, Mulhall described how he was found gasping for air as a four-month-old colt on their five-acre farm in Covina Hills, California, and her veterinarian Melinda Blue advised her to perform an emergency tracheostomy .
“He was lying on the floor, foaming from his nose and his eyes were completely overcast. We think he had swallowed a black widow and his entire airway was completely blocked, and (I) called the vet – he was second from dying,” Mulhall recalls. “And she said, 'Just take a knife, a plate, whatever you can get.' And she says, “Just feel the ribs on his windpipe and just cut a hole there.” I did that and he started breathing through the hole.
It was quite a journey for Catemaco #2 to get to the races! Find out more about the 4-year-old colt with trainer @KristinMulhall.
Watch Race 6 live on TVG now @SantaAnitaPark: pic.twitter.com/dEInQv4VXg
— FanDuel Racing (@FanDuel_Racing) January 1, 2021
With the support of Humberto “Beto” Gomez, widely known as the exercise rider for the 2018 Triple Crown winner Justify Working for trainer Bob Baffert, Mulhall managed to insert a syringe sleeve into the hole in Catemaco's windpipe from which air could flow. They then sutured the incision with dental floss.
“We took her to Chino (Valley) Equine Hospital and Dr. “(Andreas) Klohnen, the lead veterinarian there, was absolutely shocked by what he saw,” Mulhall later told Santa Anita Publicity. “The horse would have been dead if we hadn’t done what we did, so the doctor was able to exploit the proper tools for about two days before the swelling went down enough for them to be conveniently removed.”
“The horse was in hospital for about a week before I brought him home and he has been doing well since then. It didn’t affect him at all.”
Catemaco is named after a horse of the same name, which Gomez described as “a freak” when he rode it as a jockey in Mexico City. Catemaco is also a city in the Mexican state of Veracruz.
Although Mulhall praised the colt in a pre-race interview, Catemaco was overlooked by the betting public, paying $30.60 for a $2 win bet. He drives for Mulhall's Twilight Racing and Steve Taub.
Mulhall, 38, is the daughter of the tardy Richard Mulhall, who founded Thoroughbred Corp. after a long training career in Southern California. of the tardy Prince Ahmed Salman. But her experience in equestrian sport goes far beyond learning from her father.
Kristin Mullhall
As a teenager, she was an Olympic equestrian before a solemn arm injury sidelined her. She received her coaching license in 2002 after working for trainer John Shirreffs.
She currently trains 23 horses at Santa Anita and several horses for trainer Jonathan Wong at her Covina Hills location.
Understandably, she was overcome with emotion after watching Catemaco win.
“I couldn’t hold back the tears,” Mulhall said. “This is the first time I've cried after a race. This horse means so much to me; it is something very special. The fact that he got through that and had the heart to get through that is pretty incredible.”
Mulhall indicated the colt would likely return in a sprint, although given his size she ultimately expects him to be successful in longer races.
“This horse just surprises me every day,” she told TVG.
This morning, @KristinMulhall told us about the incredible journey Catemoco had to get to the races. https://t.co/egUahBRgRh
Despite all the odds, he was an simple winner on his debut @santaanitapark.
Mulhall responds to his efforts with @ScottTVG. pic.twitter.com/sDaqPvekkY
— FanDuel Racing (@FanDuel_Racing) January 2, 2021
Bred in California, Catemaco is the fifth Unbridled mare winner See-through a full sister too Banshee Breezethe champion 3-year-old filly from 1998. The mother is the best money earner Savannah Sky a winner of one of 14 starts and $121,930.
Rock Your World is a real eye-catcher
Catemaco was one of two early specialweight winners Friday at Santa Anita, the other being Rock your world a 3 year antique son of Candy ride who won a first artificial turf event for three-year-olds in the final race of the day. Under Joel Rosario he completed six furlongs on a fixed course in 1:08.47. John Sadler trains him for owners Hronis Racing and David Michael Talla.
Rock Your World, a $650,000 purchase from Sapphire Stable at the 2019 Keeneland September Yearling Sale from Winter Quarter Farm consignment, is the second winner of the stakes-winning, Grade 1-placed Empire Maker mare Charm the Creator . Your other foal to race, She is our charm a full sister to Rock Your World, took third place with earnings of $143,298.
Charm The Maker also has an unnamed two-year-old colt by Candy Ride and an unnamed colt Lure one-year-old filly.
Rock Your World was bred in Kentucky by Hall of Fame trainer Ron McAnally and his wife Debbie.
“We have the whole family,” McAnally said. “The mare is in foal again at Candy Ride and we are getting (the two-year-old) into my stable here in Santa Anita next month.”
