Golden State Series Cary Grant Stakes

TIME FOR VICTORY

PRINCIPE CARLO REIGNS IN THE CARY GRANT

BY TRACY GANTZ

The late Hall of Fame trainer Jack Van Berg used to say, “Time only counts in prison,” whenever defending a lessthan-stellar fnal clocking by any of his winning horses. But time also counts when giving horses a needed break, something trainer Librado Barocio proved with Principe Carlo in the $100,500 Cary Grant Stakes at Del Mar.

Barocio’s Mia Familia Racing Stable claimed California-bred Principe Carlo for $20,000 at Santa Anita Oct. 9, 2020. He then rested him for a year.

“We gave him some time of, and that’s all that he needed,” Barocio said.

After coming back to fnish second in an October 30 allowance optional claimer, Principe Carlo repaid Barocio with a victory in the Nov. 21 Cary Grant, the trainer’s “frst stakes win anywhere.”

Bettors made Principe Carlo the long- est shot, at 18-1, of the seven-horse feld in the seven-furlong Grant. Tey favored Positivity, who was coming of a game neck victory in an allowance optional claimer at Santa Anita Oct. 16. Positivity also had some back class, having won the 2020 Graduation Stakes at Del Mar.

None Above the Law went of as the second choice. He had won four stakes in 2021, but only one on the dirt. Te feld also included Fashionably Fast, a multiple stakes winner coming of a victory in the Oct. 9 Harris Farms Stakes at Fresno.

Principe Carlo broke fastest of all on the outside for jockey Kent Desormeaux, who then let Fashionably Fast set the fractions of :22.62 and :45.22. Positivity and Colt Fiction raced near the pace while Principe Carlo settled into fourth.

“Te track has been playing better on the outside today,” said Desormeaux. “So I broke from the 7 and stayed out there the whole race.”

Colt Fiction edged up around the turn to poke his nose in front. Colt Fiction and Positivity battled down the stretch, and Principe Carlo ranged up to join them. Te photo was narrow among all three, with Barocio’s runner winning by a nose in 1:22.33. Positive edged Colt Fiction for second by a neck.

“Te horse has a heart of gold, and it has been a team efort,” said an elated Barocio. “Tis means a lot. All I needed was a chance, and people here (at Del Mar) and at Santa Anita have been very good in giving it to me.”

Richard Barton Enterprises bred Principe Carlo, a 2016 son of Coil— Princess Ezra, by Rahy. In fve previous stakes attempts, Principe Carlo’s best eforts were seconds in the 2019 Echo Eddie Stakes and 2020 Tor’s Echo Stakes. In the Grant, he raised his total earnings to $367,543.

The longest price on the board, Principe Carlo made short work of the Cary Grant Stakes

© BENOIT PHOTOS

Trainer Librado Barocio thanks Principe Carlo for giving him his frst career stakes victory