LESSON 152

Newspaper Article

The Caracas Cannonball

Twenty years ago, Canonero II blew 'em away

by Steve Haskin

(Copyright by Daily Racing Form Inc.)

It has been 20 years since the racing world was shocked by Canonero II’s improbable victory in the Kentucky Derby. Though hardened handicappers regarded his triumph as a defiance of logic, it was much deeper than that.

Canonero II was on a mission and not even a series of many obstacles could stand in his way. Perhaps it was a higher power that guided him trough his incredible journey to Churchill Downs, where he was destined to turn his owner’s vision into reality.

In April 1971, a cargo plane took off from Caracas, Venezuela, bound for Miami, Fla. Accompanying hundreds of chickens and ducks heading for market was a thoroughbred racehorse named Canonero II.

No one knew it at the time, but the most incredible odyssey in the history of the Triple Crown was about to begin.

But let’s back up a little. Canonero II was purchased as a yearling at the Keeneland fall sale by agent Luis Navas for a meager $1,200. He was a scrawny-looking thing with a crooked right foreleg, and had previously been rejected for the Keeneland summer sale.

Navas brought the son of Pretendre – Dixieland II, by Nantallah, to Venezuela, where he tried unsuccessfully to sell him. After dozens of rejections, he finally sold the colt to Caracas businessman Pedro Baptista for $10,000.

When Canonero II was sent to Baptista’s trainer, Juan Arias, the colt, was suffering from a bad case of worms and split right forefoot.

Baptista, meanwhile, was having his own problems. His manufacturing business was failing and he was on the verge of bankruptcy. To protect Canonero II, he raced the horse in the name of his son-in-law, Edgar Caibett.

By the following spring, Canonero II had won several races, including one at a mile and a quarter, but nothing of great importance.

Then one night, Baptista had a dream in wich his deceased mother told him Canonero II was going to win the Kentucky Derby. Despite his financial situation, Baptista soon had Canonero II on the cargo plane heading for United States.

During the flight, one of the plane's engines caught fire and it was forced to return to Caracas. After finally arriving in Miami, it was discovered that Canonero II did not have the proper papers, and he was not allowed to disembark.

Instead, Canonero II was flown to Panama, where he became dehydrated waiting in the stifling heat for his papers to arrive.

After arriving in Miami once again, he had to spend four days in quarantine because Baptista had neglected to send the colt's blood samples. Canonero II by now had lost 70 pounds. To make matters worse, there wasn't enough money to pay for his plane fare to Louisville, so Canonero II had to van 1,100 miles to Churchill Downs.

As a final indignity, when Canonero II arrieved at the track he was not allowed entrance to the stable area, as no one on the van could speak English and nobody at the track knew who the horse was.

When his identity was confirmed, Canonero II's nihghtmare journey was finally over. The Kentucky Derby was less than a week away.

Meanwhile, in Tijuana, Mexico, future book oddsmakers were quoting Canonero II at 500-1. After he was entered in the race, the odds dropped to a mere 100-1.

At Churchill Downs, Canonero II had people wondering, "Who is this horse?" His trainer spoke no English, the colt worked a half-mile in an unbelievably slow 0:53 4/5, all of his ribs were showing and - nealty-trimmed bangs - he resembled Moe of Three Stooges.

Derby day arrived and Arias was so nervous he had to have an assistant saddle the horse. Despite his nervousness, Arias was confident of victory because he claimed Canonero II told him six days before the race that he would win.

For most of the running, Canonero II, who was part of the mutuel field, was plodding along in 18th place, 20 lenghts off the lead under jockey Gustavo Avila. Then came the explosion. On the far turn, Avila's brown silks were a blur, sweeping by horses at incredible speed. Nearing the three-sixteenths pole, Canonero II was drawing away.

At the finish, it was Canonero II by three and a quarter lenghts. Arias ran to the winner's circle in tears, unable to comprehend the magnitude of his achievement. His misfit was now "The Caracas Cannonball", a national hero of Venezuela.

And where was Baptista during all this? He was back in Venezuela, where he heard the news of Canonero II's victory over the radio...while visiting his mother's grave.

Let's see Hollywood top this one.