Dew Sweepers LLC's Tough Critic (Caravaggio), who came from well off the pace to graduate at first asking in a 5 1/2-furlong turf sprint at Keeneland Apr. 24, is a late addition to tonight's Keeneland April Selected Horses of Racing Age Sale, the sales department said via a Friday press release.
Paramount Sales, agent, will consign the Apr. 29 foal as hip 89 to the auction, which kicks off at 6:30 p.m. ET.
Trained by George Weaver, the dark bay colt attracted the services of top rider Flavien Prat for the debut and settled in the latter third as the hot favorite Longshoreman (Twirling Candy)– whose dam is a half-sister to the G1 King's Stand Stakes-winning 'TDN Rising Star' Lady Aurelia (Scat Daddy)–made the running. Steered out in upper stretch, Tough Critic took aim on the pacesetter passing the eighth pole and grabbed him in the waning strides to take it by 1 1/4 lengths. Weaver sent out Crimson Advocate (Nyquist) to win the G2 Queen Mary Stakes at the Royal Meeting in 2023.
Bred in New York by Delahanty Stock Farm, Tough Critic was purchased for $47,000 graduate out of the Fasig-Tipton New York-Bred Yearling Sale last August. He is out of Thatchit (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}), whose half-brother Radiohead (GB) (Johannesburg) upset the 2009 G2 Norfolk Stakes at Royal Ascot and was subsequently third in the G1 Middle Park Stakes at York.
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TOUGH CRITIC ($15.44) rolls down the center of the track to break his maiden in the 2nd race at @KeenelandRacing. Flavien Prat was aboard the juvenile Caravaggio colt for trainer George Weaver. pic.twitter.com/8seT2DAVxY
— FanDuel Racing (@FanDuel_Racing) April 24, 2025
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