(Pictured above is Carl's Only Vice at the 2012 OBS April Sale)

New Jersey bred warrior Carl's Only Vice had a fine career for Kenwood, with 4 wins, 5 seconds and 6 thirds and over $150,000 in lifetime earnings in 31 starts from age 2-5. He was Hip #1008 of a long 2012 OBS April Selected Two Year Old in Training Sale and was purchased for just $30,000; a small price compared to the $153,879 he earned.  A model of soundness with a thrilling come from behind style named for one of Kenwood's favorite and most longstanding co-owners, Carl D'Angelo, Carl's Only Vice matured with every start. After breaking his maiden at Monmouth Park in the summer of 2013 in his 12^th try, he then had his best season in 2014 with two memorable back to back wins. In an allowance event at Monmouth Park on August 16th, he went off at outrageously high odds and proved the so-called experts wrong with a picture perfect come from behind win. Sent off at 8 to 1, in a near duplicate of his previous victory he was well back off a hot pace and rallied stoutly in the stretch to win by just under a length against one of the best fields of allowance horses he faced in his career. On July 26th, Carl started off a huge Haskell weekend with the Kenwood team brimming with confidence. Sent off at a stunning 11 to 1 odds, he sat well back early, moved strongly when asked on the far turn, took over the lead inside the 1/8th pole, and drew away to a commanding 2 length win before one of the largest collection of Kenwood partners and co-owners ever to grace the Monmouth Park winner's circle. Carl then also ran 5^th in a field of 10 in the prestigious Charles Hesse III Handicap at Monmouth Park when the victum of a terrible ride. Carl had a unique personality; he learned to love mints from his older barn mate Hermosillo early on and like his barn mate, asked for them anytime you passed by his stall. 

Carl’s Only Vice died tragically on July 31st 2015 at the Mid Atlantic Equine Medical Center after falling gravely ill with Colitis a few days earlier. Carl was 5 years old. From the time we bought him at the OBS April 2012 sale, he was a pet and a barn favorite.  Carl’s loss was one that was deeply felt by all of us, he was in our barn for 4 wonderful years and a pleasure to have as part of Kenwood Racing. Our plan for him as a successful, sound New Jersey bred was to have him retire at War Horse’s farm in Virginia under the loving care of a great horsewoman, Barbara Luna when his racing days were over. He was way too young to succumb to such a horrible illness. Life is tough and any loss is hard, especially the loss of one you love. We can only wish for more hard-knocking runners like Carl to grace our barn in future years, but there was only one Carl’s Only Vice. 

You can re-watch Carl’s 2^nd Allowance win at Monmouth Park here by clicking watch video once on the page. Enjoy!