Caixa Eletronica: An Old-fashioned Racehorse

This year's True North Handicap (G2) was a sweet and sour race.
One moment, Giant Ryan was battling for the lead. The next, he was scrabbling for a foothold as jockey Willie Martinez pulled him up. A few strides later, the bay champion was splayed out before the stands of Belmont Park, his soon-fatal injuries assessed behind a curtain.

Meanwhile, the race carried on. Justin Phillip staked a claim at the lead, and Smiling Tiger seemed destined for second with a strong, closing kick. At the top of the stretch, Caixa Eletronica had no shot at victory.
The 7 year old stallion trailed the leaders by over 5 lengths, next to last in the field of eight. It seemed a repeat of his previous start, fourth out of six in the Metropolitan. It wasn't until the final yards that he picked up the slack. In one sweeping move, Caixa Eletronica surged past the field like a fresh horse from off the sidelines. "Caixa Eletronica with an amazing finish!" Cried the announcer. "Oh, he won!" 
Oh yes, he did, by nearly a length.

Caixa Eletronica (middle) en route to victory in the True North Handicap

Of course, Caixa Eletronica's victory, no matter how gutsy, will not be what is most remember about 2012's True North Handicap. The tragedy of Giant Ryan, who passed away a few days later, will stand in prominence in most viewers' minds -- including my own. Regardless, my hat is off to what may be one of America's few remaining real, old-fashioned iron horses. Not only has Caixa Eletronica gone to post on 52 occasions -- he has ventured into the Winner's Circle 18 times and landed in the money in 36 races. Trainers, owners, jockeys and fans are fortunate to have these sort of runners. It's not that they're revolutionary, or the sort of horses who shatter stopwatches. The thing that counts is their heart -- horses like Caixa Eletronica always hit us with their best shot. As a fan, I am head over heels for this sort of solid fighter.

Caixa Eletronica's 5 year career began in July of 2007, in a 6 furlong maiden special weight event over the dirt track at Calder Race Course. It was no grand debut; the colt came home a lagging 7th for trainer Juan Arias. The next few starts were some of the same -- a 4th in a maiden special weight and last out of eight horses in the Seacliff Stakes. The 2 year old colt was dropped down to a 7 furlong, $25,000 maiden claiming race. Here began what would become a habit -- a visit to the Winner's Circle following an eight length romp. Finding himself a cozy corner in the claiming ranks of Gulfstream and Calder, Caixa Eletronica came back in his 3 year old year to place second in three consecutive starts (once on the turf) before running off by six lengths in a mile and a sixteenth on the dirt -- a style of victory he seemed to relish.

The rest of his 2008 season included a second in a 6 1/2 furlong claiming race (on the dirt), last in a mile allowance, a win in a 7 furlong claiming race, a 4 length win in a 7 furlong allowance optional claimer, and a lackluster sixth in a 1 mile allowance optional claimer. He entered 2009 with a spotty record. After five failed attempts at landing in the Winner's Circle, Caixa Eletronica found himself claimed for $16,000 by owner Enrique Gratas. Throughout the rest of 2009 and 2010, the chestnut colt enjoyed mild success under the silks of LMR Stables. He raced frequently, with less than a month between many of his starts. In the 20 times he raced for LMR Stables, Caixa Eletronica came home a winner 7 times, in the process placing in several black type events.

It wasn't until March 9th of 2011 that the colt found his way to Todd Pletcher's string of runners. Put up for a $62,500 price tag in a mile-long allowance optional claimer, Caixa Eletronica looked fashionably solid as he scooted out of a third place finish in the Gulfstream Park Sprint Championship Stakes (G2). "Colorful" owner Mike Repole, famous for his claiming as much as his personality, was quick to scoop up the chestnut 6 year old. Not only did Caixa Eletronica win the race -- he went on to three length triumph in his next outing, the Westchester Stakes (G3). His success continued with a third place finish in the prestigious Metropolitan Handicap (G1) and two straight victories in starter handicaps, one at 6 furlongs and the other at 1 1/8 miles. Caixa's Eletronica's next several starts were comprised of topnotch events; the G1 Vosburgh Invitational (3rd), the G3 Bold Ruler Stakes (3rd), The G1 Cigar Mile Handicap (5th), and his 2012 debut, the Rose Jim Stakes (1st by over 4 lengths). Three black types down the road, Caixa Eletronica charged to a 3 length victory in the 1 1/8 mile Charles Town Classic (G2). In the Met Mile, he tried hard, but came up a flat fourth -- which leads us to the True North Handicap, the outcome of which we're all familiar with.

Living in the day and age of 10 race careers, and the near extinction of colts racing at 5, it is refreshing to watch Caixa Eletronica run his career past 50 races. Although he doesn't win every time out, he works hard and comes home sound. Horse racing needs more Caixa Eletronicas. The more races, the more opportunity for a horse to garner a following. Unfortunately, very few of our equine athletes are as sturdily built as this son of Arromanches, who raced in the claiming ranks 78 times, with 31 victories and 15 seconds. Caixa Eletronica's grandsire is Relaunch, the damsire of Ghost Zapper, grandsire of Tiznow, and sire of One Dreamer and Skywalker, among other horses. His broodmare sire is Skip Away, and his fourth dam, My Charmer, was the dam of Seattle Slew. There is no inbreeding in the first five crosses of Caixa Eletronica's pedigree. As a stallion prospect, this is the sort of horse breeders ought to flock to.

This weekend, Caixa Eletronica will be contesting in the G2 Suburban Handicap. While no one can guarantee how he'll handle the field, one thing is a certainty -- he'll hit them with his best shot.