Member Profile Nick Cafarchia - California Thoroughbred Breeders ...

Benoit photosRoad to Slew—Grade II Frank E. Kilroe Mile Handicap—March 3, 2001Rare Charmer—Grade II Buena Vista Handicap—Feb. 19, 2001Road to Slew is the stable star withnearly $800,000 in the bank. Heentered the spotlight when he defeatedCal-breds in last year’s Crystal WaterHandicap at odds of 63-1. Since Dollasehad taken over his training, he ransecond to subsequent Breeders’ CupMile winner War Chant in the OakTree Breeders’ Cup Mile and thenadded the Cal Cup Mile two weekslater. Then the gelding captured thegrade II Frank Kilroe Mile in his 2001debut and also successfullydefended his win in theCrystal Water Handicap.Rare Charmer scoredher first stakes win in thegrade II Buena VistaHandicap at Santa Anitaon Feb. 19. She won hersecond in the $175,000Fran’s Valentine Stakeson Gold Rush Day (seepage 24), and sandwicheda very respectable fifth inthe grade II Santa AnaHandicap in between.She now has eight winsand nine other placingsfrom 23 starts for earningsof $540,216.As successful as Road to Slew andRare Charmer have been, they alsopoint out the fragility of the Thoroughbred.Road to Slew came out of his winin the Crystal Water with a minorCelebrating Rare Charmer’s win in the Fran’s Valentine Stakes atHollywood Park’s California Gold Rush II on Saturday, April 28.injury and is currently convalescing atPrince Ahmed bin Salman’s ranch inBradbury. Rare Charmer has hadsurgery to repair an ulcer in her throat.“She’s had problems with her throat,that’s why she throws in a bad race nowand then,” Nick explained. “But youdon’t see many horses come back theway she did and become graded stakeswinners. They’re doing good nowbecause I didn’t rush them when theywere younger. Slewpys are not early runners;they need lots of time to mature.”Nick also has a 4-year-old Slewpyfilly named My Bouquet who broke hermaiden at Santa Anita on St. Patrick’sDay. In addition to the horses he has intraining, he keeps nine broodmares atAlex Trebek’s Creston Farm near PasoRobles. Most of them, including RareCharmer’s dam and Princess Morana, afull sister to Road to Slew, are carryingfoals by resident stallion Anziyan.Cafarchia plans on sending DancingRoad to a Kentucky stallion next year,possibly Pulpit.“I felt it was time to take that stepupwards,” he said. “She’s a half-sisterto Road to Slew, after all, and everyonefrom that family canrun. She has earned theright to prove herself inKentucky.”These days, Cafarchiachannels as much energyinto his horses as he doeshis bakery. He leaves hisPasadena home at about 6a.m. and puts in a solidmorning at the bakery.Then, he heads backacross town to see to thehorses in the afternoon.‘I go visit Road toSlew, give him some carrots,”he said. ‘Then, Igo to the track if I havesomething running. Wehad nine winners since Santa Anitaopened in December. Most guyswould feel lucky if they got one winner,but we had nine—and two gradedstakes winners, too!”June 2001 51