A Tale of Two Jockeys: Comparing and Contrasting the Careers of Ashado and [Other Hall of Fame Horse]

Ashado was a star herself as she left her mark in the racing world with a consistent career that was ablaze with excellence. In November 2005, she was sold to broodmare potentials for $9 million. The record amount reflected the achievements of her.

As a daughter of Saint Ballado by Halo, Ashado was purchased by a buyer for $170,000 in 2002’s Keeneland Sale in the month of September. She was owned by Wolf’s Starlight Stable (Laurie and Jack Wolf), Paul Saylor Paul Saylor, and Johns Martin.

Debut

Ashado was purchased during the Keeneland September Yearling Sale at $170,000. It looked as though it would pay off fast given that she won her three previous starts. It was the result of a run of consistent excellence that earned her Eclipse Award as champion 3-year-old filly and the champion female of older age.

The Breeders Cup Distaff was also won by Pletcher and confirmed her standing as the best filly in America. Pletcher’s was the first Breeders’ Cup victory and also the first time to be won by Starlight Racing and Paul Saylor as well as the Wolfs as well as John Martin.

She won 12 of her 21 starts and won seven Grade 1 races, and had a $3,931,440 bankroll. In 2004 , and 2005, she was awarded the title of champion mare for older horses. In 2004, and 2005, the National Museum of Racing announced that on April 25 in 2014 that Ashado & Curlin were selected by a panel as the two horsemen of today to be inducted into their Hall of Fame.

Stakes Gets Winners

Ashado was the first mare in 20 years to receive back-to-back Eclipse Awards for champion 3-year-old filly as well as champion female of the older age group. Her steady running was another advantage. The mare had twelve winners Seven of them were grade 1 stakes.

She has only twice finished worse than third, and she did it when she was in dry and wet conditions. Ashado an elegant, durable racemare, is an independent professional athlete for many years.

She showed her resilience in 2004 , as she took home her the Kentucky Oaks and Coaching Club American Oaks. Then she was hailed as the queen of distaff runners and was positioned as her favorite to win the 2005 Breeders Cup Distaff.

Starlight Stables’ first Kentucky Oaks win was hers, as was Todd Pletcher as their trainer. In addition, she was Todd Pletcher’s first Breeders’ Cup winner. This year, Ashado was inducted in the National Museum of Racing’s Hall of Fame.

Stakes Placements

Ashado, trained under Todd Pletcher, was a two-time Eclipse Award winner who won 12 of her 21 races, finishing worse than third only twice. The three Grade 1 wins included the Kentucky Oaks, Coaching Club American Oaks and Breeders’ Cup Distaff, aswell as a win in the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf.

Ashado’s racing experience has been one of continuous excellence that led her to be selected as a finalist in the National Museum of Racing’s Hall of Fame. She was bred by Aaron as well as Marie Jones, whose stable has produced winners of top stakes such as Housebuster, Invasor and Lure.

Ashado, a daughter of Saint Ballado and the late horse of Taylor Made, was purchased at the hands of Wolf’s Starlight Stable, Laurie Jack Wolf Laurie Jack Wolf, Paul Saylor, and Johns Martin at a price of $170,000. In the following year she was sold in the Keeneland November Breeding Stock Auction for a record $9 million to Darley Stud as a broodmare prospective.

Breeders’ Cup

She took home the Eclipse Award and was the first filly ever to get the Kentucky Oaks as well as the Breeders Cup Distaff. Also, she won three stakes graded wins when she was at the age of two and was later named champion female older.

Ashado was taught by Todd Pletcher, Paul Saylor and John Martin for Starlight Stable owners (Laurie Wolf and Jack Wolf), and won the Kentucky Oaks and Coaching Club American Oaks as well as Fair Grounds Oaks and Cotillion Handicap. Ashado was determined, strong as well as able to handle swift and slippery surfaces. She struggled however to cope with the sticky surface.

Her first visit to the Breeders’ Cup in 2003 being second to the unbeaten Halfbridled in the Juvenile Fillies at Santa Anita Park. Her year concluded with the most impressive nose win at the 1 1/8 mile, Demoiselle Stakes in Grade 2 at Aqueduct.