News and STORIES

Mylady Curlin Retired and Bred to Candy Ride

Author: Don Mckee
Published: Wednesday April 08, 2020
Multiple graded stakes winner Mylady Curlin has been forced to retire due to an ankle injury. She has been retired to the broodmare band of owner/breeder Jon Sather. 

Mylady Curlin had surgery to stabilize a cracked bone that was in an ankle. The 5-year-old mare by Curlin was bred this year and mated to Lane's End's Candy Ride. 

"She is going to the farm in Kentucky where we keep some mares," Sather said. "She has to be stall-bound for a month and then will be walked for a month before she can go out in a pasture. She is definitely going to stay where she is; I have no intention of selling her.

"Mylady ran with the best of them, and (trainer) Brad Cox did a really great job. I can't thank him enough. She got hurt when she was 2, and we had to lay her up for a year. That is what Cox wanted to do because he believed in her, and it worked out."

Mylady Curlin's Career

Mylady Curlin's first start came in September of her sophomore year. In that race, she broke her maiden by five lengths in her debut at Ellis Park. 

She held a 4-2-1 record in her first nine starts, and she scored her first graded stakes as a 4-year-old in the Allaire DuPint Distaff Stakes (G3). She then took the Falls City Handicap (G2), Mari Hulman George Memorial Stakes, and Lady Jacqueline Stakes the year after. 

She kicked off this year with a fourth-place finish behind Lady Apple in the Sam Houston Ladies Classic Stakes (G3). She finished a neck behind third-placed Street Band, who was also a neck behind Serengeti Empress, winner of the 2019 Longines Kentucky Oaks (G1). 

Mylady Curlin's last start was a second-place finish behind Serengeti Emppress in the Azeri Stakes (G2). Mylady Curlin retired with a record of 8-4-2 out of 17 starts and earnings of $805,883.

Ladyledue

Ladyledue, a daughter of Slewdledo, bought for $15,500 as a yearling at the 2007 Washington Thoroughbred Breeders' Association's Summer Yearling Sale out of Bar C Racing Stables' consignment, was also raised and raced by Sather. 

Ladyledue's trainer is Bonnie Jenne, and she raced only in stakes at Emerald Downs. She scored her debut in the Northwest Stallion Knights Choice Stakes by eight lengths at age 2. She then won six of her seven lifetime starts and had earnings of $147,271.

"I sent her to Ian Wilkes to run in the Falls City, and she cracked her ankle just like Mylady did a week before that race," Sather said. "Still, she won six out of seven stakes, which is quite a feat. It doesn't matter what track you're at."

Ladyledue has produced two other winners as a broodmare. Mylady is her only black-type runner so far. She has Noble Jon, a yearling by Noble Mission, as well as Calidus, a 2-year-old by Latent Heat. 

Last year, the Sather family's top mare colicked and died. Mylady Curlin has now become more important than ever. 

There are big opportunities for the cross with Candy Ride. 10% stakes winners from starters were produced through the crossing of mares by the sons and grandsons of Mr. Prospector and Candy Ride. 

Mr. Prospector is the grandsire of Curlin through Smart Strike. The cross has produced grade 1 winners Twirling Candy and Ascend, along with six other graded stakes winners. 

Even though Mylady Curlin was forced into retirement earlier than expected, there is still a lot of potential that can come from the 5-year-old mare.