The garrulous Sydney character that was W.J. ‘Knockout’ Smith, a man that made glass by career and horses by hobby, bred in 1945 the weight-carrying sprinter San Domenico. By Hua, an outstanding racehorse of the late 1930s, he was a homebred for Smith at his St Aubins Stud in Scone.
As a 2-year-old, the chocolate-coated San Domenico was pigeon-toed and awkward. Unwanted, he was sold for 1000gns to the 28-year-old Sydney man Ray Formosa, a Royal Navy providore whose errant claim to fame, apart from his famous gelding, was tax evasion.
San Domenico at home in Formosa's stables | Image courtesy of the State Library of NSW
For his first three starts as a juvenile, San Domenico was undefeated. The manner of his racing was pretty conclusive, showing withering, relentless speed without being asked for much effort and, as he headed into a 3-year-old season in 1948, he scared away much of his opposition.
In the end, San Domenico won races like the Hobartville S., Oakleigh Plate, George Main S., Canterbury S. Hill S., All Aged S. and Futurity S. All of this occurred between 1948 and 1953, a career that wasn’t flawless with 25 wins from 79 starts, but one that was long and effective.
Formosa owned and trained San Domenico until late 1951. They were interesting years for the colourful character. Twice he claimed that his gelding had been ‘got at’ and, through most of his ownership, he promised to take the horse to America.
San Domenico in the enclosure at Randwick
In the end, he sold San Domenico for 3500gns to George Goodwin, a pastoralist in Wilcannia country. Goodwin gave the then 6-year-old gelding to Rosehill trainer Bill Kearns and, in just six starts, San Domenico won close to double his price-tag.
He won the Futurity and All Aged S., was third in the Newmarket H. and second in the Rawson S. His new trainer was so confident before the Futurity that “you could have dragged me head down across Sydney Harbour if he hadn’t won”.
In the George Main S. of 1953, San Domenico broke down after his long career at high speeds. Veterinary advice was that he wouldn’t stand up to competitive racing in Sydney, and Goodwin declared that the city had seen the last of him. However, it wasn’t the last of San Domenico.
San Domenico returning to scale | Image courtesy of the State Library of NSW
Goodwin wanted to break the stakes-earning record held in the sprinting division by Mollison (Seremond {GB}), a record that had stood for 30 years, and to do that he had to ply the very last out of San Domenico. The pastoralist sent his gelding west, at first to Orange, where he looked ‘very scratchy’, then to Wellington.
In April 1954, San Domenico won a £25 five-furlong welter at Wellington with a lively crowd cheering him on. He led all the way, the one-time Oakleigh Plate winner starting as wide as 5/1 in the market. The win promptly pushed him past Mollison as the all-time stakes-winning sprinter of Australia.
Through the rest of that year, Goodwin dodged heavy criticism about keeping his 9-year-old gelding in work. He remained defiant, however, with the odd claim that San Domenico had lost his front teeth as a yearling and wouldn’t be able to pick grass.
San Domenico | Image courtesy of the State Library of NSW
Eventually, San Domenico did retire. He joined Goodwin at Tonga Station in remote country, 140 miles from Bourke, where he continued to lead an eventful life. One of his best stories occurred in March 1955 when he broke a fetlock, and the Royal Flying Doctor service sent a Mildura vet in an air taxi to his aid.
