Lamanitis Behind Bernardini's Euthanasia

Preakness winner and Eclipse Champion Bernardini (A.P. Indy-Cara Rafaela, by Quiet American) has been euthanized at Jonabell Farm due to complications from laminitis. A homebred by Sheikh Mohammed in the early days of Darley’s ownership of Jonabell Farm, Bernardini won six races in a row during a dazzling 2006 sophomore campaign, earning Eclipse Champion 3YO honours and being rated World Champion 3YO.  Trained by Tom Albertrani, the son of A.P. Indy broke his maiden in his second start at Gulfstream Park in March by almost eight lengths before capturing the Gr3 Withers at Aqueduct in April. He then won in the Gr1 Preakness, giving Sheikh Mohammed his first victory in an American Triple Crown race. Later that summer, he easily won the Gr2 Jim Dandy and Gr1 Travers Stakes by nine and seven lengths at Saratoga, before a dominant six-and-three-quarter length victory in the Gr1 Jockey Club Gold Cup against older horses at Belmont Park, earning a career-best 117 Beyer. He finished his career with a runner-up finish to Invasor in the Gr1 Breeders’ Cup Classic at Churchill Downs. Bernardini was piloted in all of his Stakes wins by jockey Javier Castellano.

Bernardini winning the Gr1 Gold Cup (pic: darleyamerica.com)