Claimed Mare Yields Breeders' Cup Competitor R Disaster

In December of 2017 at Gulfstream Park, Richard Averill dropped the slip on a mare named Making Havoc, spending just $6,250 on the 7-year-old daughter of Gottcha Gold. Her co-breeder, Ocala Stud, had kept their eye on the mare since selling her as a 2-year-old, and wanted to bring her back into their broodmare band. Four years later, she produced a filly by the farm's stallion Awesome Slew, and that filly is R Disaster, a live contender in this year's Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (G1). "They had the family and sold her, so they approached me and asked if I could claim the horse," said Averill, a native of Bradenton, F.L. and a longtime friend and client of Ocala Stud. "They went on with the breeding, and (R Disaster) was well-meant, she just had a couple setbacks. They weren't able to sell her at the 2-year-old sale, so they approached me about buying her. We took our time and we didn't really know what we had, and she's really flourished into an unbelievable mare." Co-bred by J. Michael O'Farrell, Jr., R Disaster flashed her talents on the racetrack early for trainer Saffie Joseph, Jr., graduating by 6 3/4 lengths at second asking against fellow Florida-breds. She won next up when in for $80,000 at Churchill Downs, but was not claimed and never ran for a tag again. What she did do was finish first or second in each of her next 11 starts, including two graded victories and close seconds in three others. In May, R Disaster tested her mettle against the best of the filly and mare sprint division, and led each step of the way to victory in Churchill Downs' Derby City Distaff Stakes (G1), defeating the reopposing multiple Grade 1-winner Ways and Means. That marked the first Grade 1 win for both Averill and co-owner Anthony Mattera, an accomplishment Averill said he could have never imagined when he claimed Making Havoc nine years ago. "It's why we all love this game," he said. "You can take a $6,000 claimer and breed it to a $5,000 stallion and this is what you can get. Anthony had just started in the game and had owned a few other horses, and luckily he got in on this one. She has literally changed his life." The beloved mare had an uncharacteristic misfire with a sixth to Ways and Means in Saratoga Race Course's Ballerina Stakes (G1) this summer, but rebounded with aplomb on October 1 to land back in the winner's circle for Belmont Park's Gallant Bloom Stakes (G2). After toying with the idea of running in last year's Breeders' Cup at Del Mar and electing to skip the race, Averill is now on his way to Keeneland, where R Disaster arrived on Monday morning to take her shot in this year's seven-furlong Filly & Mare Sprint that is expected to include familiar foe Ways and Means. "She's won at multiple different tracks and is ultra-consistent, and I wouldn't trade my place with anyone in the race," Averill said. "A good horse really can come from anywhere, and anyone can dream. This game has highs and lows, but when it comes around to those good moments, you just (enjoy it)." For Averill, R Disaster has certainly provided an abundance of good moments. "Horses are like humans -- we have bad days, and so do they, so for her to be first or second in almost all her races is (impressive)," Averill said. "I couldn't be happier for the partners and everyone involved. I've owned horses for 26 years, and she's my first Grade 1 winner and millionaire. I'm just thrilled to be here. It's a dream come true, and I couldn't be more thankful to Ocala Stud for selling her to me and thinking of me first."