Photo Courtesy of Louisa Barton
At the moment Vino Rosso crossed the finish line first in the Classic, I was honoring the memory of an Ocala legend and believe I felt the same joy as many others who knew and loved James Crupi. would be perfect at the Classic distances. His sire Curlin was a two-time Horse of the Year, who finished third in the 2007 Kentucky Derby, won the Preakness and placed second in the Belmont Stakes. However, Curlin would also go onto win the 2007 Breeders’ Cup Classic, and did it in authoritative fashion, winning by a 4-length margin. Crupi, who enjoyed success on the racetrack, winning four training titles at Monmouth Park and another at The Meadowlands, established his training center in Fellowship in 1995. The 2017 Kentucky Derby winner Always Dreaming was a graduate of the Crupi’s New Castle Farm program. Uncle Mo, a multiple Grade One winner and Eclipse Award champion, was also selected at the sales by Crupi, graduating from the horseman’s program before going onto stardom, and in doing so put Mike Repole’s stable back on the map. No stranger to success, Crupi’s New Castle Farm graduates have been consistently found on the Triple Crown trail. Audible, Liam’s Map, Macho Again, Made from Lucky, Little Mike, Palace, Stay Thirsty, Stopchargingmaria and Untrapped are among the many talented horses who’ve come through Crupi’s program. Leigh Emerson McKathan, a co-host of mine on the Horse Talk Show and the wife of the late prominent horseman J.B. McKathan, and I were in Maryland for the Preakness, and decided to make a stop at J.B.’s favorite area restaurant. We made a U-turn and good fortune smiled upon us, there were plenty of open seats, but the waitress guided us straight to a table that was right beside Monique Delk and J.J. Crupi of Crupi’s New Castle Farm. We were delighted and pleased to see them both. Crupi generously insisted we have the remainder of his bottle of red wine, as he wasn’t feeling well that evening, and he and Monique were about to leave the restaurant. Leigh and I thanked him, but I declined a glass, explaining that red wine has always given me a headache. Crupi told me, "that I had just never had a really good one,
and that this was the good stuff." He told me this wine would not give me a headache. I took his word for it because Crupi was always right about horses and wine. J.J. or Jimmy, as many called him, wasn’t in good health at the time. He was in Maryland for the Fasig-Tipton Sale, doing what he loved best. He was carrying oxygen with him to the barns to be near the horses, which is where he loved to be. Regardless of his health or pain, he always attended to the horses. He started with less than nothing and ended up as one of the best in the business, and doing it the right way. Jimmy’s slogan was always, “There’s no hassle at the Castle.” And that was because Jimmy dealt straightforwardly and honestly with people. An amazing horseman, Crupi was a caring individual with an altruistic nature, helping any number of people, those who were down on their luck; others who needed a job or confidence boost or just a kind word, and often helping those struggling to find clients. He would help anyone. Even in more recent times, when he had to resort to using oxygen most of the time, he would go out of his way to make someone feel appreciated. When Vino Rosso triumphantly crossed the wire in the $6 million Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic, this past November, my mind slipped back to the Italian restaurant in Maryland, the place where I was with Leigh McKathan and had seen Crupi and Monique Delk. I could see the bottle of red wine Crupi gave to us the last time we saw him, just a few days before he passed away. I remembered that last hug and that big smile that Crupi
always had for everyone. Vino Rosso proved to be the good stuff too. Vino Rosso outran and outperformed older horses who were amongst the best racehorses in the world. He even passed the Bob Baffert-trained favorite McKinzie and won the big race. The owners of Vino Rosso, Vinnie Viola and Mike Repole, spoke passionately about the important role Crupi played in the colt’s Breeders’ Cup Classic victory. “Jimmy Crupi really understood this horse,” said Viola. “He was like a blue chip high school prospect that had a really great college career that had to learn how to be
a great pro. I think Todd [Pletcher, Vino Rosso’s trainer] and Mike [Repole] would agree the person who oversees the breaking and initial training of a horse is probably as critical as any part of the team. And Jimmy, wherever you are, I know you’re in heaven, we love you very much and this one really; really was because of and for you.” At the moment Vino Rosso crossed the finish line first in the Classic, I was honoring the memory of an Ocala legend and believe I felt the same joy as many others who knew and loved James Crupi. The end of the year in racing culminated in the memory of one bottle of red wine and a horse called Vino Rosso, and a great horseman James “J.J.” Crupi of Crupi’s New Castle Farm. For all that he did for horses, for so many people and for all of us who loved him. James “J.J.” Crupi was one of a kind. He will never be forgotten. In loving memory of James “J.J.” Crupi, may he rest in peace.
OCALAMAGAZINE.COM | VMCENTRALFLORIDA.COM | DEC 2019 |
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