Serena's Song

Serena’s Song (foaled April 4, 1992) is an American Thoroughbred race horse. She won 17 graded stakes races, including 11 Grade I (some against males and older mares), in three seasons for $3,286,388 in earnings.

Background

Serena's Song is a smaller than average, but athletically built bay mare.^[1] Her sire Rahy was a Grade II winner on turf and Grade I-placed, but was more successful at stud and became notable primarily as a sire of broodmares and racemares. Rahy has also sired 2006 U.S. Champion Two-Year-Old Filly Dreaming of Anna, Breeders' Cup Turf winner and European Horse of the Year Fantastic Light, and the outstanding broodmare Mariah's Storm, among other notable horses.^[2] Serena's Song's dam Imagining, a daughter of Northfields, won two of her 26 races but became a successful broodmare who also produced Grade III winner Vivid Imagination and graded stakes producers River Saint and Serena's Sister.^[1][3]

Serena's Song was bred in Kentucky by Dr. Howard J. Baker. Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas bought her at the 1993 Keeneland July yearling sale for $150,000 for Eclipse of Merit owners Robert and Beverly Lewis.^[1]

Two-year-old season

In her two-year-old season, Serena's Song started 10 times and won four races. She also finished second twice and third once while compiling earnings of $597,335. In the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies, she finished second to the undefeated champion Flanders by a head. In the Grade I Hollywood Starlet Stakes, she beat Urbane.

Three-year-old season

In 13 starts at age three, Serena's Song won 9. One of her top performances was in the de facto second jewel of the filly Triple Crown, the $200,000 Grade II Black-Eyed Susan Stakes. That race was run on May 19, 1995, over a mile and one eighth at Pimlico Race Course. Serena's Song beat a field of seven stakes winners, including Conquistadoress and Rare Opportunity.

Serena's Song also beat males that year in the Jim Beam Stakes and the Haskell Invitational Handicap. She defeated older females in the Beldame Stakes. That year, she brought home the American Champion Three-Year-Old Filly award, winning $1,524,920.

Four-year-old season

In 1996, when she was four, Serena's Song started 15 times, winning 5 times, placing in 7 races, and coming in third twice. She ran over eight tracks and never finished worse than third. In May, she shipped to Baltimore and won the grade two Pimlico Distaff, now called the Allaire duPont Distaff Stakes, on the Preakness Stakes undercard. She came very close to winning the Whitney Handicap and was second in the Breeders' Cup Distaff. That year, she brought home $1,164,133.

Foals

Serena’s Song was sent to Denali Stud near Paris, Kentucky, as a broodmare. So far she has produced 12 foals, 11 have raced and nine have won. Among her offspring are these named horses:

• Serena's Tune- 1998 bay filly by Mr. Prospector - Racing from age 2 to 4, she won 7 of her 14 starts, including three stakes victories, with career earnings of $337,260.^[4] She is the dam of Vocalised (by Vindication), a Group 3 winner in both Ireland and Great Britain^[5] and stallion in Ireland.^[6] Serena's Tune also produced Serena's Cat, an ungraded stakes winner who in turn produced 2015 American Champion Older Dirt Male Horse Honor Code and Gr.II winner Noble Tune.^[7] Serena's Tune died in 2006.^[8]
• Sophisticat- 1999 bay filly by Storm Cat - 3 wins at 2 and 3 in Eng,Fr, and Ire, $443,393, Coronation S (Eng-I); dam of G3 placed Sefroua by Kingmambo who earned $141,977, she is also the dam of G1 Placed Pursuit of Glory by Fusaichi Pegasus. She has minor runners by Galileo and Montjeu.
• Arbitrate - 2000 Chestnut Colt by Deputy Minister - 5 wins in 33 starts, stakes placed, $195,390. Stallion in Mexico.
• Grand Reward - 2001 Bay Colt by Storm Cat - 4 wins, 2 to 4, in NA, Eng, and Ire, $545,844, Gr.II Oaklawn Handicap. Entered stud at Hill 'n' Dale in Kentucky, and later moved to Ghost Ridge Farm in Felton, PA. Currently standing at Haras La Quebrada, Argentina, in 2018.
• Harlington - 2002 Bay Colt by Unbridled - 6 wins 2 to 5 in NA, $370,000, Gulfstream Park H. G2. Entered stud at Hill 'N' Dale Farm in 2009,where he currently resides for $7,500, his first foals will be Two Year Olds in 2012. Now stands stud in Saudi Arabia.
• Pure Symmetry - 2003 Chestnut Filly by Storm Cat - non winner but placed 2 times in 6 races. Produced stakes winner High Stakes Player by A.P.Indy and stakes runner Miner's Cat by Mineshaft. Also produced Divine Energy by Tapit, who is now a stallion in Mexico.
• Colourful Score - 2004 Bay Horse by Storm Cat - 1 win in 3 starts, won by 7 lengths in the UAE.
• Spark Candle - 2005 Chestnut Horse by A.P. Indy - 9 wins in 22 starts. Raced in USA and Japan, $262,303
• Schramsberg - 2006 Chestnut Horse by Storm Cat - 6 wins at 4 and 5, 2011, $394,626, won Gr.III John B. Connally. Entered stud 2012 at Bar None Farm in Canada. Sire of 2017 Canadian Juvenile Stakes winner Remarkable Vintage.
• Stormberg - 2008 Chestnut Colt by Storm Cat - Winner in 7 starts. Entered stud at NexStar Ranch in California in 2015, and moved to Tommy Town Thoroughbreds in 2018.
• Night and Day - 2009 Bay Filly by Unbridled's Song - Ran once as a 2 year old, was unplaced. Dam of graded stakes winner Made You Look.
• Serene Melody - 2010 Bay Filly by Street Cry (Ire) - Winner of the Wintergreen Stakes at Turfway Park- Retired, broodmare.
• UNNAMED - 2011 Bay Filly by Medaglia d'Oro - Died as a foal.
• Gold Serenade - 2014 filly by Medaglia d'Oro - Winless in 6 starts.

After her 2014 filly was weaned, Serena's Song was retired from broodmare duties. She still resides at Denali stud.

Serena’s Song was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2002, at age ten.

Tabulated pedigree

See also

• List of leading Thoroughbred racehorses

References

External links

• "Champions, The Lives, Times, and Past Performances of America's Greatest Thoroughbreds, Revised Edition, Champions from 1893-2004," the Daily Racing Form
• Serena’s Song’s pedigree, racing stats, and photo
• Serena’s Song in the Hall of Fame