Vino Rosso
Vino Rosso
Curlin's Most Accomplished Horse Yet
2015, Chestnut, 16.1h | Entered Stud: 2020 | Nominated to: Breeders' Cup, KTDF
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A Leading Freshman Sire in 2023, led by undefeated 2yo colt THE WINE STEWARD, an impressive 6-length MdSpWt winner on debut at Belmont Park and dominant 2 3/4-length winner of the $225,000 Bashford Manor S. at Ellis Park in his second start; stakes-placed Zaino, Saratoga MdSpWt winner Dancing Groom, etc.
Top 4 Freshman 2-Year-Old Sire in Kentucky in 2023 with a $115,622 avg. from 46 sold, incl. $550,000 colt purchased by Alex & JoAnn Lieblong – the second-highest priced 2yo at OBSMAR; $475,000 colt at OBSAPR purchased by FMQ Stables; $385,000 filly at F-T Midlantic purchased by Team Hanley & 30 Year Farm; $350,000 filly at F-T Midlantic purchased by West Bloodstock for Repole Stables; $340,000 colt at OBSMAR purchased by Michael Maker, $325,000 filly at OBSMAR purchased by West Bloodstock, for Repole Stable, etc. First 2yos at OBS March incl. 3 of the top 8 prices by freshman sires.
Recognized by Paulick Report as “First Team” on their 2023 All-Value Sire Team: “my money is on Vino Rosso” –Joe Nevills
A Leading Freshman Yearling Sire in 2022 with a $94,287 avg. from 112 sold, led by fillies up to $550,000 and colts up to $400,000.
No. 2 freshman sire at the prestigious F-T Saratoga Select Sale – $293,750 avg. (only Omaha Beach’s was higher) – incl. $550,000 (highest price by a freshman sire), $300,000, etc; F-T July Sale incl. $250,000 (top 2 by a freshman sire), $200,000, $200,000, etc; Keeneland September incl. $400,000, $385,000, $375,000, $360,000, etc.
Yearling buyers incl. Repole Stable, St. Elias Stables, Winchell Thoroughbreds, Albaugh Family Stables, Ken McPeek, Lael Stables, Mike Ryan, Spendthrift Farm, Sackatoga Stable, Eddie Woods, Peter Bradley, Tom McCrocklin, Calumet Farm, The Elkstone Group, D.J. Stable, Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, Mayberry Farm, etc.
Top 3 Freshman Weanling Sire in 2021 with a $90,595 avg. from 47 first-crop weanlings (& short yearlings) sold including 19 six-figure sales, featuring colts up to $340,000 and fillies up to $300,000.
Multiple G1 winner & Eclipse Champion in the mold of elite sire CURLIN – arguably his closest-resembling son by looks, quality, style & type.
At 4: Earned the Eclipse Award for 2019 CHAMPION OLDER DIRT MALE after a dominant win in the $6,000,000 Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) by 4 1/4 lengths over 9 G1 winners incl. McKinzie, Higher Power, Elate, Code of Honor, Yoshida, Seeking the Soul, Math Wizard, War of Will, etc. (111 Beyer & a historic -6 1/4 Thoro-Graph).
Won $500,000 Gold Cup at Santa Anita (G1), defeating 2019 G1 winners Gift Box, Mongolian Groom & Higher Power and earning a 105 Beyer.
“The best-looking Curlin I’ve ever seen. He’s spectacular looking and about as well bred a horse as there is. He and Justify were our best yearlings (in 2016).”
–John Gunther, 2018 Eclipse Award Winner for Outstanding Breeder
At 3: Won $1,000,000 Wood Memorial (G2) going away by 3 lengths at Aqueduct, defeating G1 winner Firenze Fire in 1:49.79 – second fastest in the last decade.
At 2: Undefeated in two starts by open lengths, including a 7f MdSpWt win on debut at Aqueduct and Allowance win over a mile at Tampa.
Fastest Breeders’ Cup Classic on record by THORO-GRAPH: -6 ¼ (Arrogate -5, Saint Liam -4 3/4, Ghostzapper -4 1/2, California Chrome – 4 1/2, Curlin -4, American Pharoah -3 1/2, Mucho Macho Man -3 1/2, Invasor (Arg) -3 1/2, etc.)
Elite 111 BEYER: Only Palace Malice was faster among sons of Curlin; Faster than Good Magic, Exaggerator, Keen Ice, Connect, etc.
Finished first before being DQ’d and placed in second in $750,000 Jockey Club Gold Cup (G1) at Belmont in 2019, finishing ahead of 2019 G1 winners Code of Honor & Preservationist and G2 winner Tacitus – 106 Beyer.
Won Stymie S. at Aqueduct in 4-year-old debut, earning a 4 Ragozin at a mile.
77.27 Class Performance Index according to Blood-Horse – No. 1 CPI rating of any racehorse ever by CURLIN.
Out of the multiple stakes-producing Street Cry (Ire) mare Mythical Bride, a half-sister to Belmont S. (G1) runner-up COMMISSIONER-G2 and Breeders’ Cup Sprint (G1) runner-up LAUGH TRACK-G3 – 18 stakes performers under his first four dams.
$410,000 yearling at Keeneland September – among Curlin’s top yearlings in 2016.
Earned $4,803,125 – the most accomplished horse ever by leading sire Curlin, who’s the most accomplished horse ever by SMART STRIKE (one of Mr. Prospector’s most influential sires).
Establishing a deep pipeline: 563 mares bred his first three seasons at stud combined (top 3 among his stallion crop) – First crop are 2-year-olds in 2023.
“I think he’s got a big future. He’s a very good-looking horse. He resembles Curlin a lot. He was able to win at 2, 3 and 4 and is a classy type of horse which is what the people are looking for. He has a great disposition, he’s healthy and sound and has all the attributes you look for in a stallion.”
–Todd Pletcher

Age | Starts | 1st (SW) | 2nd (SP) | 3rd (SP) | Earned |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
2 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | $48,000 |
3 | 7 | 1 (1) | 0 | 2 (2) | $794,500 |
4 | 6 | 3 (3) | 1 (1) | 1 (1) | $3,960,625 |
Totals | 15 | 6 (4) | 1 (1) | 3 (3) | $4,803,125 |
Racing Highlights
Won at 2
- An allowance race at Tampa Bay Downs (1 mile & 40 yards, by 2 1/2 lengths, defeating Bon Raison, Moveslike Molasses, etc.)
- A maiden special weight race at Aqueduct (7 furlongs, by 2 3/4 lengths, defeating Point to Remember, Home Run Maker, Allured, On Patrol, etc.)
Won at 3
- Wood Memorial S. at Aqueduct (G2, 9 furlongs in 1:49.79, by 3 lengths, defeating Enticed, Restoring Hope, Firenze Fire, King Zachary, Evaluator, Old Time Revival, etc.)
3rd at 3
- Jim Dandy S. at Saratoga (G2, 9 furlongs, to Tenfold and Flameaway, defeating Reride and Sporting Chance)
- Sam F. Davis S. at Tampa Bay Downs (G3, 8.5 furlongs, to Flameaway and Catholic Boy, defeating Hollywood Star, Navy Armed Guard and Septimus Severus)
Won at 4
- Breeders' Cup Classic at Santa Anita Park (G1, 10 furlongs, defeating McKinzie, Higher Power, Elate, Math Wizard, Code of Honor, Yoshida, Seeking the Soul, War of Will, Owendale and Mongolian Groom)
- Gold Cup at Santa Anita S. (G1, 10 furlongs, defeating Gift Box, Lone Sailor, Mongolian Groom, Higher Power, Core Beliefs and Blitzkrieg)
- Stymie S. at Aqueduct (8 furlongs in 1:35.27, defeating Title Ready, Shivermetimbers, Sunny Ridge, California Night, Stan the Man, Curlin's Honor and Hero's Welcome)
- Jockey Club Gold Cup S. at Belmont Park (G1, 10 furlongs in 2:00.30, (finished 1st but DQ'd to 2nd) to Code of Honor, defeating Tacitus, Preservationist and Olympic Village)
- Whitney S. at Saratoga (G1, 9 furlongs, to McKinzie and Yoshida, defeating Preservationist, Forewarned, Monongahela and Imperative)
Pedigree




Alan Porter’s 2023 Breeding Analysis for Vino Rosso
Eclipse Award-winning Champion Older Horse, Vino Rosso was a dominant winner of the Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1). He is by two-time Horse of the Year Curlin, now an outstanding sire, and promising sire of sires, out of a Street Cry mare from a family full of black type.
From another branch of the Northern Dancer line, Curlin and sons have developed a particularly strong affinity for mares from the Storm Cat line, this cross producing more than 20 stakes winners. In addition to daughters of Storm Cat himself, this cross has produced grade one winner Grace Adler out of a mare by Newfoundland, grade one winner Rattle N Roll out of a mare by Johannesburg (sire of Scat Daddy, and a son of Hennessy, also sire of Henny Hughes– himself broodmare sire of a graded winner by a son of Curlin – and Cactus Ridge), black-type winners out of mares by Giant’s Causeway (who is represented by such as Not This Time, Creative Cause, Eskendereya, First Samuraiand Frost Giant), Tale of the Cat (sire of Tale of Ekati and Lion Heart; grandsire of Kantharos and Uncaptured), Forestry (sire of Discreet Cat and Shackleford), Stormy Atlantic, Stormin Fever, Tactical Cat, Lion Hearted, and Forest Wildcat (sire of Wildcat Heir and D’Wildcat). Daughters of Bernstein, Bluegrass Cat, Cat Thief, Freud (brother to Giant’s Causeway), Harlan (sire of Harlan’s Holiday and Menifee; grandsire of Into Mischief, Majesticperfection and Shanghai Bobby), Pure Prize and Yankee Gentleman are among other Storm Cat sources that could be considered.
Smart Strike, the sire of Curlin, had a tremendous success rate with mares from the Danzig branch of Northern Dancer. Curlin has followed that trend, with Champion Good Magic out of a mare by Hard Spun; a quartet of stakes winners out of daughters of Polish Numbers; Grade one winner Known Agenda out of a mare by Byron (from the Danehill branch) and stakes winners out of mares by Foxhound, Pine Bluff and Ascot Knight. This would also make it worth considering mares by War Front (sire of The Factor, Summer Front, Declaration of War and Hit it a Bomb), Exchange Rate, Langfuhr, Belong to Me and Bellamy Road.
There is a Curlin Grade two winner out of a mare by Dixieland Band and another out of a mare by that horse’s son, Dixie Union (sire of Union Rags). This line could also be sourced through High Cotton, Hook and Ladder and Overanalyze. Out of mares from the Nureyev branch of Northern Dancer, Curlin has a classic winner out of a mare by Royal Anthem and a stakes winner out of a mare by that horse’s sire, Theatrical, and a graded stakes winner out of a mare by Great Commotion. This also suggests trying daughters of Atticus, Fasliyev, Unusual Heat and Spinning World. From the sire line of Nureyev’s three-quarters brother, Sadler’s Wells, there is a stakes winner out of a mare by Medaglia d’Oro (sire of Violence and Warrior’s Reward). Medaglia d’Oro is by El Prado, also sire of Kitten’s Joy and Artie Schiller, and Sadler’s Wells has also been represented in North America by Magician and Capo Blanco (both by Galileo), Powerscourt and Horse Chestnut.
Curlin is out of a Deputy Minister mare, and has enjoyed exceptional success with inbreeding to that strain. Vino Rosso has a double of Deputy Minister, but that strain will be in the fourth and fifth generation of his foals, making crossing back over Deputy Minister line mares a possibility. Among likely sources are Awesome Again (sire of Ghostzapper, Paynter, Oxbow, Daheer, Toccet, Awesome of Course and Awesome Patriot), Dehere (whose son, Graeme Hall, is broodmare sire of Curlin Grade one winner Curalina), Silver Deputy (sire of Archers Bay, Badge of Silver, Spring at Last and Posse), Touch Gold, Forest Camp and French Deputy.
The cross of Curlin and sons with mares from the A.P. Indy line has produced nearly 30 stakes winners. There are ten stakes winners out of mares by A.P. Indy himself, including Champions Malathaat and Nest, and grade one winners Idol and Global Campaign, as well as eight stakes winners, including grade one winners Paris Lights and Clairiere, out of mares by that horse’s son Bernardini (sire of Stay Thirsty and To Honor and Serve). Grade one winner Stellar Wind is out of a mare by Malibu Moon, and there is a grade two winner by Curlin out of a mare by Flatter (sire ofUpstart and Flat Out). Grade one winner Cody’s Wish out of a mare by Tapit (sire of Constitution, Frosted, Tonalist, Concord Point, Tapizar, Tapiture, Hansen and Trappe Shot). Tapit is by A.P. Indy son, Pulpit (also sire of Corinthian – broodmare sire of a Curlin line graded winner – Sky Mesa and Stroll), and it could also be worth considering mares by Congrats (a brother to Flatter) and Mineshaft (sire of Dialed In and Discreetly Mine), Jump Start, Majestic Warrior and Stephen Got Even.
A.P. Indy is by Seattle Slew, and Curlin also has classic winner Exaggerator and Champion Elite Power out of mares by Seattle Slew son, Vindication, and there is also a grade one winner out of a mare by Boston Harbor (by Capote). Curlin also has two graded stakes winners out of mares by Yes It’s True, whose grandsire Raja Baba is from the same sire line and family as A.P. Indy.
Curlin already has two stakes winners, including grade one winner Collect, out of mares by Holy Bull, and he is sire of Macho Uno (broodmare sire of a Curlin grade one winner), Flashy Bull, Woke Up Dreamin and Giacomo. Curlin has a graded stakes winner out of a mare by Indian Charlie, a son of In Excess. In Excess is also sire of Rocky Bar, Notional and Bring the Heat, and Indian Charlie is sire of Uncle Mo (sire of Nyquist, Laoban and Outwork), Adios Charlie, Bwana Charlie, Liaison and Cinco Charlie.
Alan Porter’s 2023 Breeding Analysis for Vino Rosso
Eclipse Award-winning Champion Older Horse, Vino Rosso was a dominant winner of the Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1). He is by two-time Horse of the Year Curlin, now an outstanding sire, and promising sire of sires, out of a Street Cry mare from a family full of black type.
From another branch of the Northern Dancer line, Curlin and sons have developed a particularly strong affinity for mares from the Storm Cat line, this cross producing more than 20 stakes winners. In addition to daughters of Storm Cat himself, this cross has produced grade one winner Grace Adler out of a mare by Newfoundland, grade one winner Rattle N Roll out of a mare by Johannesburg (sire of Scat Daddy, and a son of Hennessy, also sire of Henny Hughes– himself broodmare sire of a graded winner by a son of Curlin – and Cactus Ridge), black-type winners out of mares by Giant’s Causeway (who is represented by such as Not This Time, Creative Cause, Eskendereya, First Samuraiand Frost Giant), Tale of the Cat (sire of Tale of Ekati and Lion Heart; grandsire of Kantharos and Uncaptured), Forestry (sire of Discreet Cat and Shackleford), Stormy Atlantic, Stormin Fever, Tactical Cat, Lion Hearted, and Forest Wildcat (sire of Wildcat Heir and D’Wildcat). Daughters of Bernstein, Bluegrass Cat, Cat Thief, Freud (brother to Giant’s Causeway), Harlan (sire of Harlan’s Holiday and Menifee; grandsire of Into Mischief, Majesticperfection and Shanghai Bobby), Pure Prize and Yankee Gentleman are among other Storm Cat sources that could be considered.
Smart Strike, the sire of Curlin, had a tremendous success rate with mares from the Danzig branch of Northern Dancer. Curlin has followed that trend, with Champion Good Magic out of a mare by Hard Spun; a quartet of stakes winners out of daughters of Polish Numbers; Grade one winner Known Agenda out of a mare by Byron (from the Danehill branch) and stakes winners out of mares by Foxhound, Pine Bluff and Ascot Knight. This would also make it worth considering mares by War Front (sire of The Factor, Summer Front, Declaration of War and Hit it a Bomb), Exchange Rate, Langfuhr, Belong to Me and Bellamy Road.
There is a Curlin Grade two winner out of a mare by Dixieland Band and another out of a mare by that horse’s son, Dixie Union (sire of Union Rags). This line could also be sourced through High Cotton, Hook and Ladder and Overanalyze. Out of mares from the Nureyev branch of Northern Dancer, Curlin has a classic winner out of a mare by Royal Anthem and a stakes winner out of a mare by that horse’s sire, Theatrical, and a graded stakes winner out of a mare by Great Commotion. This also suggests trying daughters of Atticus, Fasliyev, Unusual Heat and Spinning World. From the sire line of Nureyev’s three-quarters brother, Sadler’s Wells, there is a stakes winner out of a mare by Medaglia d’Oro (sire of Violence and Warrior’s Reward). Medaglia d’Oro is by El Prado, also sire of Kitten’s Joy and Artie Schiller, and Sadler’s Wells has also been represented in North America by Magician and Capo Blanco (both by Galileo), Powerscourt and Horse Chestnut.
Curlin is out of a Deputy Minister mare, and has enjoyed exceptional success with inbreeding to that strain. Vino Rosso has a double of Deputy Minister, but that strain will be in the fourth and fifth generation of his foals, making crossing back over Deputy Minister line mares a possibility. Among likely sources are Awesome Again (sire of Ghostzapper, Paynter, Oxbow, Daheer, Toccet, Awesome of Course and Awesome Patriot), Dehere (whose son, Graeme Hall, is broodmare sire of Curlin Grade one winner Curalina), Silver Deputy (sire of Archers Bay, Badge of Silver, Spring at Last and Posse), Touch Gold, Forest Camp and French Deputy.
The cross of Curlin and sons with mares from the A.P. Indy line has produced nearly 30 stakes winners. There are ten stakes winners out of mares by A.P. Indy himself, including Champions Malathaat and Nest, and grade one winners Idol and Global Campaign, as well as eight stakes winners, including grade one winners Paris Lights and Clairiere, out of mares by that horse’s son Bernardini (sire of Stay Thirsty and To Honor and Serve). Grade one winner Stellar Wind is out of a mare by Malibu Moon, and there is a grade two winner by Curlin out of a mare by Flatter (sire ofUpstart and Flat Out). Grade one winner Cody’s Wish out of a mare by Tapit (sire of Constitution, Frosted, Tonalist, Concord Point, Tapizar, Tapiture, Hansen and Trappe Shot). Tapit is by A.P. Indy son, Pulpit (also sire of Corinthian – broodmare sire of a Curlin line graded winner – Sky Mesa and Stroll), and it could also be worth considering mares by Congrats (a brother to Flatter) and Mineshaft (sire of Dialed In and Discreetly Mine), Jump Start, Majestic Warrior and Stephen Got Even.
A.P. Indy is by Seattle Slew, and Curlin also has classic winner Exaggerator and Champion Elite Power out of mares by Seattle Slew son, Vindication, and there is also a grade one winner out of a mare by Boston Harbor (by Capote). Curlin also has two graded stakes winners out of mares by Yes It’s True, whose grandsire Raja Baba is from the same sire line and family as A.P. Indy.
Curlin already has two stakes winners, including grade one winner Collect, out of mares by Holy Bull, and he is sire of Macho Uno (broodmare sire of a Curlin grade one winner), Flashy Bull, Woke Up Dreamin and Giacomo. Curlin has a graded stakes winner out of a mare by Indian Charlie, a son of In Excess. In Excess is also sire of Rocky Bar, Notional and Bring the Heat, and Indian Charlie is sire of Uncle Mo (sire of Nyquist, Laoban and Outwork), Adios Charlie, Bwana Charlie, Liaison and Cinco Charlie.