LIVORNO. If from the Port of Livorno you continue south, along the sunny pavements of Viale Italia, past the suggestive Mascagni terrace and the historic Naval Academy you will find on the left side of the road, the one that looks out to the Tyrrhenian Sea, theFederico Caprilli Hippodrome.
It has stood there immobile since the end of the nineteenth century, with its grass racing track, the roundabout and the stands, immersed among the Art Nouveau villas of the Ardenza district, since 1894, the year in which it was built on the land once occupied by park of Villa Letizia. Here you can breathe a piece of Livorno, a piece of Massimiliano Allegri.
It is right here, at the Caprilli racecourse, that the Tuscan coach spent his days as a child: “my happiest memories were of my grandfather taking me to the horse races in Livorno” he wrote in an article for The Players Tribune. A passion he makes no secret about, Cheer up when he can, even in the press conferences before or after the match he talks about horses, the racecourse, Livorno. After all, the former Juventus coach has a stable of thoroughbreds, who wear the amaranth jacket with a white star, the colors of the city of Labronia.
Max’s horses are galloping strongly, with the staff divided between two trainers, a good part of Endo Botti, some subject in training from Stefano Botti. Whimsical, 4 year old bay female from Sioux Nationi, pulls the group of thoroughbreds of Alma Racing, the team that on the racecourses is represented by two dear friends of Max. Whimsical it is a name also known by journalists who deal with football, Ivan Zazzaroni, Sandro Sabatini. A fame that this beautiful and generous mare has earned by winning this year in Rome Signorino Award, listed race, and coming in third place in a group 3 race, a historic event like the President of the Republic Award, compared to the males, never an easy challenge for a racing mare.
Sunday next Max Allegri’s pupil will aim for the traditional Prize Royal Mares, listed race which takes place at the racecourse dthe San Siro, where the amaranth jacket with white star will also be at the start in the most important race of the day, the Oaks of Italy, the pink derby where an American mare will tread the green mantle of San Siro for Max Allegri, Sun Never Setsthird in the recent Mario Incisa Della Rocchetta also at the Milan racecourse.
This year has seen Alma Racing’s thoroughbreds triumph seven times. The statistics say that eight horses ran for Massimiliano Allegri’s colors for a total of 25 outings where, together with the 7 victories, 6 placings were also achieved.
Next to Whimsical he stood out Mr Darcywhich after second place in the Premio Pisa confirmed itself with the victory in the Sbarigia in Capannelle on Derby Day. Clear victory, much more than that ‘short muzzle’ which has become one of the arguments of the Livorno coach during some conferences with the football press. Fly By Fly it is another three-year-old of value that has amaranth on it, winner of the Premio in San Rossore at two years Goldoni, main handicap, last April fourth in the most popular race in Pisa, the Prize that bears the name of the ancient maritime republic.
Five jockeys rode for the‘Alma Racing in this season, Dario Di Tocco, Mario Sanna And Alessio Satta, to which were added the interpretations of jockeys coming from abroad during the big races. A top like Mickael Barzalona he came from France to ride Mr Darcy in Rome, leading him to victory. And also Cristian Demuronow the first blade of international turf, came to Capannelle to play Estrosa.
Rome is the track where the horses of Max Allegri they are better performing, with a 41.67 percent win percentage. Milan follows where the range is around 33 percent. But in the heart of this Livornese with a great passion for horses there is the dream of a success of one of his thoroughbreds in an important race on his home track, the Federico Caprilli.
The bus stop is Ardenza Mare, the racecourse and one hundred meters after the Bagni Fiume, the legendary summer gabions with football friends, which with the Antignano house, the summer football camp for children and teenagers, the café of Monday with old friends at the Ughi bar, in the Coteto district, they make up Max’s world in his Livorno. Where that amaranth flag flies at the Armando Picchi stadium, those colors that shine on the jersey of Estrosa and Mr Darcy, the winning horses of Massimiliano Allegri, a true Livornese, with heart and passion, and a generous soul. Grew up among the salt water and a horse at the racecourse that turns on the lights at night in front of the sea.
