Caravaggio’s Tenebrism Impresses On Debut
Caravaggio became the first Northern Hemisphere freshman sire to record a winner when Tenebrism (2f Caravaggio x Immortal Verse, by Pivotal) bolted home at Naas on Sunday.
Named a Thoroughbred Daily News Rising Star with the performance, Tenebrism followed in her sire’s footsteps by winning over five furlongs in her debut. The filly raced near the back of the field on the turf under Seamie Heffernan comfortably, just waiting for her cue to run. With two furlongs to go, Heffernan angled her to the widest position on the track to set her up for the win.
Once she had clear running room, Tenebrism showed a fantastic turn of foot to quickly take over the lead. Heffernan put the whip away with over a furlong to go as the filly pulled away to win by 3¾ lengths.
“She was always very natural from day one and she’s able to quicken up very well which is what the dad was able to do,” Heffernan told Irishracing.com. “You would have to be very happy with her. It’s her first day away. She’s smart and we can look at all those quick races for her.”
Prepared by Aidan O’Brien for the Coolmore partners, Westerberg and Merriebelle Stables, she is also bred by Merriebelle Stables, Orpendale, Chelston, and Wynatt.
The filly becomes the third winner out of British champion and multiple Group I winner Immortal Verse, who herself is out of Sadler’s Well’s stakes winning daughter Side of Paradise. Another daughter of Side of Paradise produced stakes winner and Group I-placed Roseman and Group I-placed Baradar. The family under Tenebrism’s third dam also includes dual Group I winner and champion sire Last Tycoon, European Champion 3-Year-Old Sprinter Zipping, dual classic winner Hermosa, U.S. Grade I winner Sense Of Style, and Australian Group I winner The United States.
Immortal Verse had a filly by Triple Crown winner Justify last year and returned to him for her 2021 foal.
Now standing at Ashford, Caravaggio saw his first yearlings average $132,258 last year, led by a ¥105,000,000 (US$957,898) yearling at the JRHA Selected Yearlings Sale. In demand around the world, his other yearlings starred at all major yearling sales when bringing $400,000, $300,000, $250,000 etc.