Porta Fortuna Won’t Race Again in ’25; Heads for Autumn Sale

[Wandering Eyes]

Cartier Champion three-year-old filly Porta Fortuna (Caravaggio) will miss the remainder of the season, according to a press release from the ownership group of Taylor Made's Medallion Racing, Steve Weston, Barry Fowler, and Dean Reeves. She will instead be prepared to be sold this fall at an as-yet-to-be-determined bloodstock sale.

Porta Fortuna had a training setback in advance of the June 17 G1 Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot, which would have marked an attempt at a third straight win at the Royal meeting. Her trainer, Donnacha O'Brien, reported that she has done well since her setback, but said that he felt that she needs more time to be at the fitness level to be ready for the G1 Matron Stakes at Leopardstown Sept. 13 on the first day of the Irish Champions Festival, her intended target.

“The partners had a call and decided that we would back off,” said O'Brien. “She has been a superstar for us, and when you have a champion, you don't rush them back. Trying to force her to fit our timeline is not an option. If we felt like we weren't going to be ready to win a Group 1, then the plan with the owners was to get her ready for a sale this fall.”

Porta Fortuna began her career with a victory at the Curragh in April of her two-year-old season. She was purchased by Medallion Racing, Weston, Fowler and Reeves after that initial victory. She obliged with a win in the G3 Naas Fillies Sprint Stakes in her first start for the new connections. She was a dominant winner of the G3 Albany at Royal Ascot in her next start, defeating next-out G2 winner Matrika (No Nay Never), and five other future Group winners. After successive Group-1 placings, Porta Fortuna notched her first Group 1 win in the Cheveley Park at Newmarket. She ended her two-year-old season with a second-place finish in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf. She was the only two-year-old filly to win a Group 1 race along with two other Group races as a juvenile. She was also the only two-year-old filly to have a Group 1 win and a Group 1 placing, with three of the latter to her credit.

Porta Fortuna picked up where she left off in her first start as a three-year-old and was beaten a neck in the G1 1000 Guineas. She had arguably the biggest win of her career in her next start, winning the G1 Coronation at Royal Ascot. She beat Group 1 winners Opera Singer (Justify), Ramatuelle (Justify), Elmalka (Kingman), Content (Galileo) and Rouhiya (Lope de Vega) in her Coronation victory. Her season went from strength to strength as she went on to win the G1 Falmouth and G1 Matron, a feat that could not be matched by top horses Alpha Centauri (Mastercraftsman) and dual Guineas winner Winter (Galileo). The G1 Coronation and G1 Falmouth double also proved the undoing of other top fillies like multiple Group 1 winners Inspiral (Frankel) and Alcohol Free (No Nay Never).

Porta Fortuna continued her winning ways in her first start as a four-year-old this year with a comfortable win in the G2 Lanwades Stud Stakes on Irish Guineas weekend at the Curragh, before her setback in advance of Royal Ascot which will end up keeping her away from the races for the remainder of the season.

“The ownership group has been on the ride of a lifetime over the past three racing seasons, and has always put Porta Fortuna's health and well-being as the most important thing,” said Medallion Racing Manager Phillip Shelton. “We would like to express a sincere thanks to Donnacha O'Brien and his team at Bawnmore Racing, who have kept Porta Fortuna at the top level this whole time, and have made sure that she receives the best care day-in and day-out. The plan has always been to sell her at public auction at the end of this season, and a final decision will be made on where she sells in the coming weeks.”

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