When one thinks of the Calumet Farm of old, legends of the American turf such as Citation, Whirlaway, Tim Tam and the great Alydar come to mind.
Now a breeding and racing operation owned by successful businessman Brad Kelley, Calumet has the distinction of being represented by a couple of horses at Saturday’s Dubai World Cup meeting; one a product of their breeding operation and the other who will carry the farm’s black colours and gold chevrons in the main event.
Tadhg O’Shea aboard Tuz, one of two chances on Dubai World Cup night for the stories Calumet Farm (Pic – DRC/Liesl King)
Calumet Farm is the breeder of defending Gr1 Dubai Golden Shaheen hero Tuz, whose sire Oxbow was purchased by Kelley and his team for $250,000 as a yearling at Keeneland in 2011 before going on to win the Grade 1 Preakness Stakes in 2013. Tuz cost his connections just $7,000 at Keeneland in 2018.
“It’s always nice to have a horse you bred that goes on and does well,” said Calumet’s General Manager Eddie Kane, who signed the ticket on Oxbow. “Breeding is why we’re in the game and it’s especially nice to have a horse by Oxbow, who we bought as a yearling. It’s always fun to see that.”
Runners bred by Calumet accumulated better than $13 million in earnings in 2024, second only to Godolphin among breeders in North America.
It was at the breeze-up sales that Calumet sourced Mixto, whose own sire Good Magic has already been represented by a Kentucky Derby and a Belmont Stakes winner. Calumet parted with $140,000 at the 2020 Ocala Breeders’ Sales Company’s April Sale in 2022 despite the colt perhaps not showing his true ability while breezing over a synthetic track.
“Mr. Kelley likes the offspring of Good Magic and Mixto didn’t have the greatest workout, but two-year-old consignor Paul Sharp, who is a very good horseman, said: ‘Eddie, I promise you, he’s much better on the dirt.’” Kane related. “So that helped us in our decision making to go on and buy the horse. Trainer Doug O’Neill has liked him from the get-go.”
Though he required seven tries to break his maiden, Mixto has always been treated like a top-class galloper and validated his connections’ confidence with a 22-1 boilover in the Grade 1 Pacific Classic over the World Cup distance of 10 furlongs (about 2000m) at Del Mar last summer.
Kane is looking for a similar effort this weekend from their charge, whose rider knows his way to the Meydan winner’s enclosure.
“Hopefully he runs good and it’s nice to know that Frankie Dettori is going to ride him for us,” said Kane.
The Italian reinsman has won the World Cup no fewer than four times, including with American shipper Country Grammer in 2022.
