Name: Caminetto
Barn Name: Cam
Birth Year: 2009
Gender: Gelding
Height: 18. hh
Color: Dark Bay/Brown
Location: Portal, AZ
Starts/Win/Place/Show: Total of 77 lifetime races
QH: 23/4/8/5
TB: 54/7/11/11
Career Highlights: Cam raced in a Grade 1, the Bing Crosby Stakes at Del Mar and placed 4th . He also ran twice in the black type stakes race KLAQ Handicap and twice in the Crenshaw Memorial Stakes.
Total Earnings: $341,345
Last Race: 12/30/2022
Sire: Stormy Atlantic
Dam: Vassar (Royal Academy)
Other Pedigree Notables: Storm Cat, Seattle Slew, Secretariat, Storm Bird, Terlingua, Nijinksky
Description: Cam is 18 hands, the biggest horse we’ve ever had and at 14 years old, the oldest still racing horse we’ve retired and the only TB in almost 18 years of Neigh Savers that raced in both Quarter horse and Thoroughbred races. Cam has a huge personality…in one of the photos attached he is loudly calling to be the first to get this grain!
We were given notice of Cam and asked to help in his retirement by Kathy F. Kathy wrote a story of her journey and we are including it here:
“Caminetto (Cam) was born March 1, 2009. He was a $500,000 Keeneland September yearling sale purchase by a prominent Southern California trainer for one of his best clients at the time.
Caminetto is very well bred, being a grandson of both Storm Cat and Seattle Slew. He raced a total of 77 times, 23 of these races being Quarter horse races of which he won 4. Imagine that, winning 4 races against horses bred for short speed distances! I first saw him at Hollywood Park’s spring/summer meet of 2012. He was a handsome dark bay or brown 3 year old with a beautiful blaze running down the center of his face. He came strutting on the track like he knew he was the man. He did not win that day, but I put him in my Equibase Stable and went to see as many races as I could at either Hollywood Park or Santa Anita. Many of his races were at Del Mar and I watched each and every one on TV. There was something about this horse that I absolutely loved.
His last race in the Bob Baffert barn was November of 2015. He wasn’t claimed but in December he showed up at Sunland Park in New Mexico for a different trainer and owner. I guess he was just sold.
I kept track of him through stable notifications and he dropped lower and lower in rank until he was running at 12 years old in $5000 claiming races both thoroughbred and Quarter horse races at tracks in New Mexico. I decided to see if I could get help to rescue him. I am just a regular horse racing fan with no connections in either racing or rescue. Every person or organization I wrote to did not answer me. I even considered going to New Mexico and asking to buy him from the trainer. I could just imagine what a laugh that would have caused!
I finally was put in contact with Karin Wagner, of Neigh Savers and wonder of wonders not only did she answer me, she offered to help! Karin is the real hero of this story. It took more than 2 years, but she finally was able to get him off the track to safety. I know he is happy now and safe, which is all that matters. The many pictures that I have been sent attest to that. I am going to go and visit him in June, which I think is a fitting end to this journey of hope and love. I hope he likes me.”