Breeders’ Cup Distaff Winner Blue Prize Dies

[Wandering Eyes]

Argentine champion and GI Breeders' Cup Distaff heroine Blue Prize (Arg) (Pure Prize–Blues for Sale {Arg}), by Not For Sale {Arg}) died at the Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital on Monday after complications from foaling, according to Frank Taylor, the Vice President of Boarding Operations at Taylor Made Farms, where the 13-year-old mare has been boarded for her entire breeding career.

“She had complications from a hemorrhage,” Taylor said. “She had a foal [by Life Is Good] about a week ago.”

According to Taylor, her latest filly is doing well.

“She had been at the farm since the foaling,” Taylor said. “We try to keep them quiet when they hemorrhage. We didn't want to ship her to the clinic if we didn't have to, since moving them adds stress, and increases the chances of losing them. But she started to colic [Sunday], and we had to go to the clinic. She died on the operating table.”

Winner of a trio of Grade Is in North America–the Spinster in (2018-19) and the 2019 Breeders' Cup Distaff over champion Midnight Bisou–she also won at the highest level in Argentina, taking the G1 Premio Seleccion in 2016, the same season that she was named Argentine Champion 3-year-old Female.

Bred by Haras La Manija, the chestnut was acquired by Merriebelle Stable and was sent to Ignacio Correas for her U.S. campaign. In North America, she won eight races in the U.S., including the GII Fleur de Lis, GII Falls City and GIII Locust Grove. Retiring with over $2.6 million in the coffers following her Breeders' Cup victory, the mare was purchased by OXO Equine's Larry Best for $5 million at the 2019 Fasig-Tipton November Sale.

Her initial foal, Playback (Into Mischief), won once from seven career starts for trainer Paulo Lobo. Subsequent foals have yet to start–a 4-year-old colt by Instagrand named Flock Hill in addition to a 3-year-old colt by Practical Joke named Boylston. In 2024, she produced a Life is Good colt and her last reported foal was a filly by the WinStar stallion sired earlier this year.

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