Ashado was a star herself She made her mark on the racetrack with a consistent career of distinction. Her achievements were highlighted in a record $9 million bid that she received when she was offered as broodmare in November of 2005.
A daughter of Saint Ballado by Halo, Ashado was purchased for $170,000 as a yearling during the 2002 Keeneland Sale in the month of September. Wolf’s Starlight Stable, Paul Saylor and Johns Martin owned her.
Debut
Ashado was purchased at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale for $170,000. It looked as though the investment would yield quick results, since she had won the first three races she entered. It was the result of a run of constant excellence, which earned her the Eclipse Award as champion 3-year-old filly and champion older female.
The Breeders’ Cup Distaff was also won by Pletcher which confirmed her position as the best filly in the country. Pletcher won the Breeders Cup for the first time in addition to the first victory of Starlight Racing, Paul Saylor, Wolfs and John Martin.
Her final earnings were an account of $3,931,440. The mare won 12 out of 21 races in which she participated 7 of which are Grade 1 races. She was voted champion older mare both in 2004 and 2005. In 2004, and 2005, the National Museum of Racing announced on the 25th of April in 2014 that Ashado and Curlin had been selected by a panel to be two of the most modern horsemen in the world to be accepted into the museum’s Hall of Fame.
Stakes winners
Ashado turned out to be the 20th-year’s first horse to be awarded back-to-back Eclipse Awards as champion filly three years old, and champion aged female. She was also one of the longest-running runners. Ashado was the winner of 12 races, including seven stakes in Grade 1.
Only twice did she finish less than third and both times she was able to win when she was in dry and wet conditions. Ashado is a durable, elegant racer who has had a strong, independent, compassionate and professional runner.
2004 was the year she won named the Kentucky Oaks winner and Coaching Club American Oaks champion. Her name was later hailed as the queen of distaff runners and was named the favourite for the 2005 Breeders Cup Distaff.
She gave Starlight Stables and trainer Todd Pletcher their first Kentucky Oaks victory, and made Pletcher the first winner of the Breeders’ Cup in addition. Ashado was accepted into the National Museum of Racing’s Hall of Fame in 2014.
Stakes and stakes placements
Ashado is managed under Todd Pletcher, was a two-time Eclipse Award winner who won 12 of her 21 races, and came in worse than 3rd just twice. She won the Kentucky Oaks as well as the Coaching Club American Oaks as Grade 1 winners.
Ashado’s racing experience was one of constant excellence that led her to be selected as a finalist in the National Museum of Racing’s Hall of Fame. Aaron Ashado and Marie Jones, who bred Ashado, have been responsible for many top stakes winners, including Invasor, Housebuster and Lure.
A granddaughter of Saint Ballado and her late stallion Taylor Made, Ashado was purchased through Wolf’s Starlight Stable (Laurie and Jack Wolf) and Paul Saylor and Johns Martin for $170,000 to be a yearling. After that she was auctioned off at the Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale for an unprecedented $9 million to Darley Stud as a broodmare candidate.
Breeders’ Cup
She was awarded the Eclipse Award and was the first filly in history to be crowned the winner of the Kentucky Oaks as well as the Breeders Cup Distaff. At the age of two she was awarded three Graded Stakes winners and was named the Champion Older Female.
Ashado was trained through Todd Pletcher, Paul Saylor and John Martin for Starlight Stable owners (Laurie Wolf and Jack Wolf), and took home the Kentucky Oaks and Coaching Club American Oaks as well as Fair Grounds Oaks and Cotillion Handicap. She was a powerful and determined runner who handled slippery and fast surfaces with ease However, she had a difficult time with sticking surfaces.
She made her first trip to the Breeders’ Cup in 2003, being second to the unbeaten Halfbridled at the Juvenile Fillies at Santa Anita Park. The year ended with an outstanding nose victory by a hefty margin in the Grade 2 Demoiselle Stakes. 1 1/8 mile at Aqueduct.
