Breeders' Cup sees Caracortado nominated for $25K

INGLEWOOD, Calif. - Caracortado was nominated to the Breeders’ Cup program for $25,000 on Thursday, co-owner and trainer Mike Machowsky said. The Thursday payment met an Open Enrollment deadline set by the Breeders’ Cup for discounted nominations for 3-year-olds and up, and came just in time for Caracortado’s important start in Saturday’s $300,000 Shoemaker Mile.

The Grade 1 Shoemaker Mile is part of the Breeders’ Cup Challenge program, offering a fees-paid berth to the BC Mile at Churchill Downs in November for the winner. In addition, the nomination fee on Thursday made Caracortado eligible for the Breeders’ Cup program for the rest of his career.

A 4-year-old gelding, Caracortado has won 7 of 14 starts and $558,105. This year, he has one win in four starts, the Sunshine Millions Turf at Santa Anita in January. Machowsky co-owns Caracortado with Don Blahut.

“We are throwing down,” Machowsky said, referring to the payment. “We’ll make him eligible. Don is such a good sportsman.”

Machowsky is optimistic that the 2012 Breeders’ Cup will be held at Santa Anita, and is hopeful that Caracortado can run in the BC Mile or the BC Turf Sprint, which would be run on the hillside turf course over about 6 1/2 furlongs. Belmont Park, Churchill Downs and Santa Anita are seeking to host the 2012 Breeders’ Cup.