Denian Stable’s El Catolico stalked the pace before taking the lead approaching the stretch and won the Clasico Jorge Washington Stakes by 1 3/4 lengths at Camarero Race Track in Puerto Rico Feb. 11. The time for the 1 1/16-mile dirt race was 1:46.42. It is the first black-type stakes victory for an offspring of sire Catholic Boy .
Catholic Boy entered stud in 2020 and stands the 2024 breeding season at Claiborne Farm in Paris, Ky., for a fee of $10,000. El Catolico hails from his sire’s first crop.
A son of More Than Ready, Catholic Boy was a fierce competitor on the track, capturing grade 1 races on both dirt and turf for trainer Jonathan Thomas. Among his finest triumphs were wins in the 2018 Travers Stakes (G1) and Belmont Derby Invitational Stakes (G1T) as a 3-year-old. He retired with a record of 7-2-0 from 13 starts and $2,143,000 in earnings.
El Catolico, now 3, broke his maiden on second asking at Camarero last October. The colt has won three of his six starts and has banked $59,519. All six of his outings have come at Camarero.
Bred in Kentucky by KatieRich Farms and trained by Eric Betancourt, El Catolico is out of the New Year’s Day mare Parade of Roses. He sold at last year’s Ocala Breeders’ Sale June 2-Year-Olds and Horses of Racing Age Sale to C.H.P.R. for $26,000 out of the Shanbally Acres consignment.
