This season, Distinctiv Passion continues to prove his exceptional talent for siring speed and precocity. His offspring Fantasioso Pass and Sarzana Pass secured an impressive double, contributing to a stellar record: 8 of his 10 two-year-olds to race have already visited the winner’s circle.
By Diego H. Mitagstein
Alfredo Camogli has always been clear about his goals for Haras El Alfalfar. The breeder prioritizes speed and precocity, dedicating decades to selecting the phenotypes that allow his silks to shine in early races and short-distances stakes.
No one was surprised last Saturday when Fantasioso Pass and Sarzana Pass delivered a remarkable double for his colors at the Hipódromo Argentino de Palermo, capturing the Guillermo Kemmis (G3) and Carlos Casares (G3), the opening stages of that track' juvenile selection process. It marked El Alfalfar’s eighth victory in the Kemmis and sixth in the Casares, repeating the remarkable feat of winning both races in the same year, as it had done in 2014.
What stood out, however, was the solidification of Distinctiv Passion as the ideal stallion to fulfill the farm’s vision. Since his first foals debuted in 2021, he has steadily showcased his potential, but his results this season have been nothing short of spectacular.
Following in the footsteps of previous standout sires at El Alfalfar, such as Easing Along (Storm Cat) and Key Deputy(Deputy Minister), Distinctiv Passion currently leads the two-year-old sire rankings. An astounding 10 of his foals (out of 31 born) have already debuted, with 8 of them—an 80% success rate—achieving victories. The remaining two have also delivered strong performances. And it’s only February.
In terms of precocity, Distinctiv Passion’s numbers are nearly unparalleled. Across his four crops of racing age, 44 of his offspring debuted in their respective first semesters, and 29 of them went on to win—a striking 65.9% success rate.
On the stakes front, he has already produced five black-type winners, all achieving their titles as two-year-olds: Fantasioso Pass, Sarzana Pass, Papusa Pass, Salteño Pass, and Lagoa Azul. Notably, three of these stakes winners were out of mares by Key Deputy.
For those unfamiliar, Distinctiv Passion’s ability to transmit such speed and precocity is well-founded. A dual winner at two, claiming victories at Hollywood Park and Santa Anita, he later established himself as one of California’s top sprinters. His résumé includes triumphs in the Midnight Lute Stakes (G3), Los Angeles Stakes (G3), San Pedro Stakes (L), Joe Hernandez Stakes (L), and Swift Thoroughbreds Inaugural Stakes (L).
His career highlights also feature a third-place finish in the Santa Anita Sprint Championship Stakes (G1), behind Points Offthebench (Benchmark) and Goldencents (Into Mischief), and ahead of Trinniberg (Teuflesberg), a Breeders’ Cup Sprint (G1) winner. In total, Distinctiv Passion won 11 of his 28 starts, earning $564,855 and competing from ages two to seven.
With Distinctiv Passion, Camogli returned to the Storm Cat sire line, which had previously brought significant success through Easing Along. Distinctiv Passion, a son of With Distinction, traces back to the Overbrook legend, a Group-winning sire in North America.
Combining a relentless pursuit of genetic excellence for speed, exceptional breeding practices, and meticulously crafted maternal lines honed over years, Alfredo Camogli has discovered the perfect formula for his vision.
Today, Distinctiv Passion and his extraordinary ability to produce speed and precocity are cornerstone pieces in a hand-crafted system that functions with absolute precision.
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