A sloppy track at Belmont Park awaited Calidoscopio for the Brooklyn. At ten years old, he was old enough to be the sire of younger horses running that day.
Calidoscopio broke with the field, but it didn't take long before Aaron Gryder took his Marathon winner back. The pair loped almost nonchalantly along as Percussion and Ruler on Ice dashed for the early lead. By the time they reached the backstretch, Calidoscopio was double-digit lengths behind his nearest competitor. It became almost laughable as he finally fell so far back as to be off the screen. Up on the lead, Percussion was setting measured fractions, looking to carry that even speed all the way to the wire.
As they reached the far turn, a race was beginning to develop up front. Despite having the lead all that time, no one was getting close to Percussion. Many lengths behind, though, Calidoscopio was beginning to uncork that powerful closing kick of his. Gryder angled his mount to the outside, and Calidoscopio began picking off his rivals one by one. As they splashed down the stretch, defeated horses began to wilt after that distance and dropped out.
Not Calidoscopio, though. He was just getting started.
Percussion's lead was fading, and it was fading fast. Just a few furlongs ago, the frontrunner looked to have the race all sewn up. Now Calidoscopio was eating into his lead with every long stride, and the ten year-old effortlessly sailed across the line a winner. Percussion finished a gallant second, but even his even pace could not undo that remarkable closer Calidoscopio.
Soon after, Calidoscopio was given his well-earned rest - retirement to stud. The ten year-old had done more than enough in his many years of racing and was now ready to pass on those hardy genes to his offspring. His Breeders' Cup Marathon had been remarkable, but his Brooklyn win was one for the ages.
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