Borrego

Thoroughbred racehorse infobox
horsename = Borrego


caption =
sire = El Prado
grandsire = Sadler's Wells
dam = Sweet as Honey
damsire = Strike the Gold
sex = Stallion
foaled = 2001
country = United States flagicon|USA
colour = Chestnut
breeder = Jon S. Kelly, Ralls & Foster LLC, Brad Scott, et al
owner = Jon S. Kelly, Ralls & Foster LLC, Brad Scott, et al
trainer = C. Beau Greely
record = 20: 5-6-2
earnings = $2,052,090
race = Pacific Classic Stakes (2005)
Jockey Club Gold Cup (2005)
updated= September 21, 2007

Borrego (foaled May 17, 2001 in Kentucky) is an American thoroughbred Stallion racehorse. Borrego was bred to sell by a partnership Jon Kelly, Ralls & Foster LLC, Brad Scott, and C. Beau Greeley. The partnership twice bought Borrego back at auction when bidding did not reach the reserve price set by the partnership. He was campaigned by Lexington-native C. Beau Greely throughout his 20 race career, which included victories in a pair of Grade 1 races and a start in the prestigious Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs.

As a Racehorse

Borrego's career as a racehorse began in October of 2003. Being by the Irish sire El Prado, a sire known for producing both turf and dirt runners, trainer C. Beau Greely debuted his homebred colt on the turf in a one mile Maiden Special Weight at Santa Anita Park. After running 4th in his debut, he won for the first time in his next start, and would go on to win once more in his juvenile season. Greely started Borrego on the road to the Kentucky Derby in 2004, first in the Sham Stakes at Santa Anita Park. He earned his spot in the Derby after respectable finishes in the Louisiana Derby and Arkansas Derby, but could do no better than 10th on Derby Day. He wheeled back two weeks later in the second leg of the Triple Crown, Pimlico's Preakness Stakes. He ran 7th in that race, but rebounded that fall to finish 2nd in a pair of stakes races. Borrego came back for his four year old season, and after several solid efforts he finally broke through in the Pacific Classic at Del Mar, rallying from well back to pull off a 1/2-length upset at 11/1 odds. Greely shipped Borrego across the country for the Grade 1 Jockey Club Gold Cup at historical Belmont Park. Under regular rider Garrett Gomez, dropped back to his usual position near the rear of the pack early before unleashing a furious rally en route to an effortless 4 1/2 length win. With that victory he became the first horse to win both the Pacific Classic and Jockey Club Gold Cup, each valued at $1,000,000. Borrego's final career race was the Breeders' Cup Classic, also held at Belmont that year, but he was unable to replicate his previous efforts as he ran 10th. Borrego was set to return to race as a five-year old in 2006, but ankle surgery in March of that year pushed back his expected return date until late that summer. By April Borrego had been officially retired from racing as he wasn't healing as quickly as expected.

Race Record

As a Stallion

Upon retirement, Borrego was shipped to Kentucky to stand at the Wintergreen Stallion Station in Midway. He stands for a fee of $20,000 for a single live cover breeding. His first crop will be of racing age in 2010.

References

* [http://www.pedigreequery.com/borrego Borrego's pedigree, with photo]
* [http://www.drf.com/row/pps/borrego.pdf Borrego's career past performances]
* [http://www.bloodhorse.com/stallion-register/sr_sire_page.asp?refno=6226100&origin=singlesearch Borrego at Satllion Register]
* [http://www.wintergreenstallionstation.com/stallions.asp?p=conformation&id=5 Borrego at Wintergreen Stallion Station]