Calidoscopio (foaled September 10, 2003) is a retired Argentinean racehorse who is best known for his victories in the Breeders' Cup Marathon, and the Brooklyn Handicap.
Racing style
Calidoscopio's racing style is the main reason for his popularity as he is well known as being one of the best deep closers in modern racing. Not in the same way as other famous closers horses like Zenyatta or Street Sense as Calidoscopio tends to be a little beyond that. Rather than just trailing the field Calidoscopio has gone as far as to disconnect himself from the rest of the field. In the Breeders Cup Marathon and Brooklyn Handicap, he was so far back that he either was on the far right of the wide camera or just out of view. Very akin to Silky Sullivan he is one of the few other horses who made a name for himself with this extreme tactic, the major difference is Calidoscopio ran his best races at longer distances of 1 1/4-1 3/4 miles while Silky Sullivan was more of a sprinter/miler.
Career
Argentine career
Calidoscopio was foaled in Argentina. He is by Luhuk and out of Calderona, a daughter of Lefty. He was bred by Haras La Quebrada and during his racing career was owned by Dona Pancha Stud. His trainer in Argentina was Guillermo Frenkel Santillan. He didn't make his first start until he was four-years-old, later than most horses. He would rise through the ranks rather quickly breaking his maiden in his second start. He then went on to win his first Graded stakes race, the Grade 2 Clásico Chacabuco. It wouldn't come easy as he had to fight Ibope in a stretch duel prevailing in the last few strides by a neck. This would be the first of seven graded stakes races that he would win in Argentina. He concluded his first year of racing with a first of two wins in the Clásico Ayacucho. He would not win another race until his six-year-old season where he had his biggest in the Grade 1 Republica Argentina in 2009 although he didn't cross the wire first. The initial victor was Mestre who closed from the back with Calidoscopio but Mestre cut off Calidoscopio in the stretch causing him to check up. Calidoscopio regrouped and flew late again but missed by a neck. The interference in the stretch led to Mestre getting disqualified and placed second behind Calidoscopio. It was the only time Calidoscopio would win a Grade 1 race. He overcame mild interference again in his next victory, the Grade 2 Clásico General Pueyrredon, as he had to navigate between multiple horses from the back. But after he was clear in second place, the leader Best Guest veered from the outside to the rail and Calidoscopio made a small check-up. He then moved to Best Guest's outside, running him down and winning by half a length. He would race on until the age of nine in Argentina, at that point he was running significantly less only having three starts that year in Argentina. But two of them were wins, his first win was in the Clásico Vicente Dupay where he made a huge move from the far outside more than ten lengths back catching the runaway leader Fuerte Senal to win by a length. Sandwiched between his two wins was an unimpressive ninth in the Republica Argentina. But less than two months later he ran his final race in Argentina, the Grade 2 Clásico General Belgrano where in a similar fashion he showed off his late speed going to the far outside and winning with a length to spare.