By Filippo Lago
Throughout the world, the name Pietrasantra is associated with Carlo and Giuseppe, respectively father and son who for many years now have been at the helm of one of the most important Italian and, without a doubt, European breeding farms: Allevamento Serenissima.
They are selling two broodmares on selectedsales.com on Sunday December 3rd.
This precise moment is the most appropriate time to talk about them as their breeding is in an upward spiral in Italy, in Europe but we can say it: throughout the world.
Vivid Wise As, the flag bearer
The 2023 season of the Pietrasanta family’s Serenissima stud farm began in March when their phenomenal Vivid Wise AS, son of Yankee Glide and Temple Blue Chip, won the Criterium De Vitesse in 1.09,1 on the 1609 meter track of Cagnes-Sur-Mer. This was his third victory in the biggest race on the French Riviera.
Just a month later, Vivid Wise AS returned to his native Italy, to win the Gran Premio Costa Azzurra in Turin covering the distance of 1600 meters in 1.11,1. For Allevamento Serenissima, a spring and then summer, characterized by great results, began. Not only did Vivid Wise AS continue to take important placings in Italy, but he managed, on the last Sunday of May, to finish third in his heat of the Elitloppet 2023 at the prestigious Solvalla racetrack. A month later, the Pietrasanta family celebrated Vivid Wise As’ victory in the Gran Premio Gaetano Turilli, it was the first of many festivities for the “AS” father and son in 2023.
Contributing to their great summer season were Daughter AS and Admiral AS.
The daughter of Father Patrick and Highland Image won the Final of the 4-year-old Filly Championship on August 10th, a Group 1 race taking place every year at the Garigliano racecourse. Daughter AS had a great summer and won the Gran Premio Città Di Follonica Filly while, more recently, she brought home two other classic races : the Gran Premio San Paolo in Montegiorgio and the Gran Premio Unione Europe in Modena.
Admiral AS (Ready Cash) had his biggest moment on August 12th when he won the Aby Stora Pris in Gothenburg beating his compatriot Bengurion Jet.
A summer of endless celebrations
There have been months during which the Pietrasanta family never stopped celebrating, a succession of great results achieved after years of careful selection in their breeding stock, culminating in September when Vivid Wise As captured the International Trot at Yonkers.
Up to this moment we have written mainly about three horses, but the great 2023 vintage for the Serenissima stud farm also had other champions involved.
Expo Wise AS, the best three-year old in Europe
The first is Expo Wise AS (Ready Cash) trained by Alessandro Gocciadoro, who was dominating in the E3 Final before returning to Italy to basically win everything : he swept to victory in his elimination of the Italian Trotting Derby and subsequently in the Final, establishing himself as the best three-year-old in Italy. Expo Wise As also won the Gran Premio Orsi Mangelli just a few weeks ago.
Vivid Wise As and Expo Wise As are not ready to leave the international scene, and the future looks bright for Allevamento Serenissima : at the moment, the most impressive Italian two-year-old is Fargo Wise AS (Walner). Fausto Barelli’s trainee has only raced twice so far and won as many times, including the Gran Premio Anact in Turin in 1.13,6 over the mile. His entourage expects a strong three-year-old campaign and has turned him out for this year.
In a recent interview, Carlo Pietrasanta reflected on these great successes : the result of great work and expertise acquired over years of experience. In the magazine « Il Trottatore » Carlo Pietrasanta declared that he sees himself using, not only super sires like Walner and Chapter Seven in the future but he believes in stallions like Tactical Landing, Greenshoe and International Moni. Regarding the stallion market in Europe, he believes Calgary Games will become as important as confirmed stallions like Maharajah, Father Patrick and Face Time Bourbon.
This is the clear vision expressed by Carlo Pietrasanta in an interview a few months ago, the vision of someone who is aware of what happens every day in the racing world. The awareness of an entrepreneur who together with his son leads one of the most important Italian breeding farms which, even this year, has managed for the umpteenth time to achieve the top price at the ITS yearling auctions reaching a good €220,000 with Garland AS (Readly Express) purchased by Karin Walter Mommert.
