Horses Ingrained in Caramori From the Start

Just off Paris Pike in Lexington at The Thoroughbred Center Caio Caramori is hard at work in Barn 17 with the rest of the Caraway Racing team, including his partner Emma Mulvey. The 35-year-old owner-trainer has had a lifetime of horses with his family. Initially from Brazil but considered a Kentuckian in every way, Caramori has a barn full of promising horses and support from family and owners. Training horses is a lifestyle he has grown up with, spending holidays wherever the racing action takes him and his horses. Caramori is full speed ahead in 2021 and credits his success to his owners' confidence, trust in his program, and getting a leg up in the industry. He spoke with BloodHorse MarketWatch about growing up with horses, his approach to training, and some of the current horses in his barn. MarketWatch: How did you get your start and what has kept you in the industry? Caio Caramori: My family has always been in the horse business. Both of my parents were veterinarians in Brazil. We moved to the U.S. in 1991. My dad (Eduardo Caramori) is a trainer and my mom (Ligia Caramori) has always kept the books. After my brother (Caue Caramori) and I could drive, we would gallop horses here in the mornings at the training center before high school. The more my parents tried to push me to do something else, the more I wanted to make horses my career. I got my feet wet training thanks to my dad. He had gotten suspended, so we switched the horses into my name so they could run. The horse, (Maccabee Farm's) Sugar Marie, was running at (Hollywood Gaming at Mahoning Valley Racecourse) in the Ohio Debutante Handicap—that was my first race in 2015 (Sugar Marie finished third). The owner of Maccabee Farm (Steve Belford) and I would talk a lot; he was one of the people first to push me to go out on my own. About three years ago, Emma and I joined forces and started Caraway Racing. MW: What is your approach to training horses? CC: I am very hands-on. With both of my parents being veterinarians in Brazil, we got a lot of experience with soundness and overall wellness of the horse. The horses raised us and it has been ingrained in me since I was young. I took care of a lot of different horses, sick horses—we saved some through my childhood. My dad would bring a horse home and we would nurture it. Most people would have just quit on them. It's rewarding to bring them back and get them to the races. MW: What do you currently have in your barn? CC: It's the first year we are running more horses, have better horses, and are trying to do better. Currently we have about 28 horses with more shipping in every day. Some are partnerships. We try not to own too many but it's nice to win with some of your own. We have had many young horses but we started claiming more this year, which we hadn't done in the past. We have claimed about eight to 10 so far; it's a new part this year. Recently we claimed Pico d'Oro, and he will be an exciting horse for this year. I have a son of Oxbow, Arthurian, that I really like. And, we are giving Hello Hot Rod some time off. MW: You recently got a new horse for owner George Sharp, Front Run the Fed, who topped the Fasig-Tipton July Selected Horses of Racing Age Sale at $440,000. What are your plans for him? CC: He put in a good work on July 20. We plan to ship him up to Saratoga Race Course and aim for the Troy (G3T) on Aug. 6, then head to Kentucky Downs for the Turf Sprint (G3T) on Sept. 11. This year it's a million-dollar purse. Then hopefully we'll find our way to Del Mar in November. The Breeders' Cup would be outstanding for the owner and me. MW: What is the best advice you have received related to horses? CC: My dad always taught me to be humble; not take things for granted and not leave any stone unturned. You have to do it your way and be confident, but don't cut any corners. There is nothing worse than thinking about what I should have done.