Usually something special is associated with the first time.
Of the numerous champions trained by Todd Pletcher, the first to get into the Hall of Fame des Sports was the sensational Ashado-one honor, which has been one of the top stuffing foals of sport since the dawn of the 21st century.
The two-time Eclipse award winner, the sturdy and classic Ashado, won 12 of her 21 starts and was only twice worse than the third. In all three racing sessons, she achieved a first class victory and ended with seven of them.
She also provided Pletcher with the first of his 14 breeders when she conquered the Distafaff from 2004 and won the Kentucky Oaks and the Distaffe in the same year.
Her initial championship also coincided with the first of eight Eclipse prices as an outstanding trainer for Platcher, whose career has since been shot soaked that the 2021 entrance to the racetrack of Fame now has the record of the Sport for Lifespan of the Wall Exchange.
When she retired in 2005, her income of $ 3,931,440 left $ 4,079,820 for a mare or mare directly behind Azeri's all-time brand.
In addition to her services on the race track, however, the respect for her was embodied by the record offer of $ 9 million that it attracted it on equally glowing conditions when it was sold in November 2005 as a breeding line view.
When Ashado was included in the Racing Hall of Fame in 2014, owner Jack Wolf simply explained: “What an honor it is for a horse. She really deserves it.”
In fact, she did it.
Ashado was bought as a yearling for 170,000 US dollars. The daughter of Saint Ballado from the Halo Mare Goulash raced under the banner of Wolfs Starlight Racing, but also became together by Paul Saylor and Johns Martin. She was handed over to a newborn but emerging coach named Todd Platcher, who had served as an assistant to the Hall of Famer D. Wayne Lukas.
Ashado showed great potential from her early days on a racetrack, and when she debuted on June 18, 2003 in Belmont Park, she injected a decisive victory as a 11-10 favorite.
She drove with the wave of this triumph, went to the Saratoga Race Course and came to the fore of the 2-year Stut Division, by pulling the victories in the 2-class Schuylerville in the 2nd class and in the spinning pieces of class 1.
After they had recorded these three races in a row – the longest victory series of their career – shifted the dynamics when they took third place in the Frizette Stakes in Belmont Park and then sent west to Santa Anita Park and behind the later divisional champion in the newborn fillies of the Breeder 'Breeder' Breeder 'Pupal. landed.
Before she ended her 2-year-old campaign, Ashado made another start at two and showed her grain to publish a nose victory in the 1 1/8 miles demoiselle inserts in class 2 in the aqueduct.
The demoiselle also gave Ashado her first success with two rounds, which became a main article on her menu when she was three.
She started impressive in 2004 and clearly moved to win Fair Grounds Oaks in class 2 by 3 ¾ lengths. Then she was as a Madcap escapade in the Ashland stakes of 1 grade 1 on the Keeland Race Course, but Ashado was still sent to the Kentucky Oaks as 2.30-to-1 favorite.
Ashado made one of the best performance in her career and was unimpressed by a muddy route when she pressed the early pace and was then clear to achieve a 1 ¼ length victory against Icelandic sand with Madcap Escapade.
“This was the first time that we appeared at a marquee event and brought the favorite,” said Pletcher after the race. “I have certainly had my shots in the substantial races – the Kentucky Derby and the Breeders' Cup. But this has exerted additional pressure. She trained great and did it so well. I won this race today, and there is a lot of pressure. We felt it.”
However, the glow of the Kentucky Oaks was dimmed a little when Ashado experienced a roller coaster route when she took second place in class 1 in the Scroopies.
In view of a six -week break from Pletcher, Ashado recovered in the Cotillion Handicap class in Philadelphia Park (now Parx Racing) with a 2 ¾ long victory, which put her in the foreground for a first -class performance in the upcoming Breeder's' Cup Distaf in Lone Star Park.
When Ashado was facing older females for the first time, he was masterful in the Breeders' Cup when she raced a few lengths from the pace, even though she was blocked in the quarter rod, took responsibility under the route and was clear how a champion for a 1 ¼ long -term win was clear.
“Without a doubt, this stut foal has delivered every beginning of its life,” said Pletcher after the Distafaff. “The Kentucky Oaks and [the Breeders’ Cup] Are you running to catapult your organization to the next level. “
The Breeders' Cup made it a game, the game and the match for Ashado in relation to the 3-year Stut championship and also increased great expectations for its 4-year campaign.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=numdojfcqn8
Nevertheless, a surprisingly disappointing grade began in 2005 when Ashado tired and tired in the Oaklawn Park as a 1-2 favorite and fifth on the fifth apple blossom blossom handicap. It was the first time in her 15 starts that she couldn't take the third or better place.
She performed at the next start when she led 2 ¾ lengths on the eighth pole, but finished second three quarters of one length in the Pimlico Distaffe Handicap. Then she returned to the top shape by winning the degree 1 Ogden PHIPPS Handicap in Belmont Park with three lengths and exploded for a 9 1/2 long -term win in class 1 in Saratoga.
Again when the Queen of the Distaffe runners celebrated, Ashado jumped off for magic wand after her landslide victory. After one of the best performance of her career, she turned in grade 1 in Saratoga to the worst degree in class 1. It showed little in fourth place, 14 ¾ lengths behind the victorious shadow cast.
Ashado never lost more than two races in a row and she again showed her resistance by taking over grade 1 Beldame Stakes in Belmont and positioning itself as a favorite for the Breederers' Cup Distaffy from 2005 in Belmont Park.
Ashado was sent to the winner of four out of six starts in Belmont, who drove to her Encore performance at the Breeders' Cup. She failed to achieve a vintage performance and land the third, 9 1/2 length behind the victorious, pleasant home.
The Breeders' Cup from 2005 proved to be the last start of Ashado, although her three first class victories were rewarded with an ECLIPSE AWARD as an older woman in 2005.
The next phase of her career took place in November 2005 at the Keeland November Breeding Stock Sale. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum and Coolmore, a wild war war for her to spread between two of the greatest operations in sport, and she finally went a record for a racing or bread mare view for $ 9 million to Sheikh Mohammed.
“It was very emotional for us to sell them because it was so satisfactory to own them,” said Wolf after the sale to Bloodhorse. “She stayed so hearty throughout her career. However, it is nice that she was bought by a team that will continue to give her the best that we gave her for the whole time we had in.”
Ashado did not exceeded in her second career and had her last foal in 2022. Michael Banahan, Bloodstock Director of Godolphin USA, told Bloodhorse in December of this year that Ashado still had a “fan club” who visited her in Zentral-Kentucky and that the beloved mare in the area in the area would enjoy the remaining days in the area.
Note: This story was published in 2015 and was updated.
Witty facts
- Before the sale of Ashado for 9 million US dollars in 2005, the prior record for a Broodmare or Broodmare -prospective customer was prospective customers of the 7.1 million US dollar paid in 2003.
- Ashado was the betting favorite in her last 13 races.
- Ashado had a first, a second and one third in her three breeding cups.
- Ashado enjoyed a soggy route and won “Off” in five of her seven starts.
