Blue Prize (ARG)
August 26, 2013 – Living
Pure Prize (USA) x Blues for Sale (ARG), by Not for Sale (ARG)
Family 16-g
August 26, 2013 – Living
Pure Prize (USA) x Blues for Sale (ARG), by Not for Sale (ARG)
Family 16-g
An admirably consistent runner throughout her career, Blue Prize could be quirky and difficult if she made the lead too soon but was blessed with abundant talent, enough to make her a champion in Argentina and a championship contender in the United States. She is now a young broodmare.
Race record
23 starts, 10 wins, 8 seconds, 3 thirds, US$2,692,253 (includes converted Argentine earnings)
2016:
2017:
2018:
2019:
Honors
Assessments
Rated at 118 pounds in the Mile category on the 2019 Longines World’s Best Racehorse Rankings, 10 pounds below overall highweight Crystal Ocean and 1 pound below American champion older female Midnight Bisou among females on dirt.
As an individual
A 16.3-hand, handsome, lengthy chestnut mare with great presence, Blue Prize had a tendency to indulge in idiosyncratic behavior if she made the lead too soon and too easily but was thoroughly determined and all business if hooked.
As a producer
Blue Prize has produced one named foal of racing age as of November 7, 2023, the 2021 Into Mischief colt Playback, who is unplaced in two starts.
Connections
Foaled at Haras Carampangue, Blue Prize was bred by Bioart S.A. and raced for Haras La Manjia. She was ridden to her victory in the Gran Premio Selección by Francisco Leandro Gonçalves, helping him to his fifth consecutive title and sixth overall as Argentina’s Jockey of the Year. Following her victory in the Gran Premio Selección, she was sold to Merribelle Stable (John Moores and Charles Noell) for further racing in the United States. In the USA, she was trained by Ignacio Correas IV and was ridden to her Breeders’ Cup Distaff win by Joe Bravo. Following the conclusion of her racing career, she was sent to the “Night of the Stars” at the 2019 Fasig-Tipton November sale and sold to OXO Equine (Larry Best) for US$5 million.
Pedigree notes
Blue Prize is inbred 4x5x5 to the great sire Northern Dancer, the Canadian Horse of the Year and American champion 3-year-old male of 1964. She is a half sister to 2021 Argentine champion older female Blue Stripe (by Equal Stripes), a multiple Grade/Group 1 winner and second by a nose in the 2022 Longines Breeders’ Cup Distaff.
Blue Prize and Blue Stripe are out of multiple Argentine Group 2 winner Blues for Sale, a full sister to Grade 3-placed Argentine listed stakes winner Cure for Sale. Their sire, Not for Sale, was champion sire in Argentina in 2014 and won the Pellegini Award as Argentine Stallion of the Year in 2011 and 2014. Blues for Sale is also a full sister to Far Away Eyes, dam of 2021 Premio Francisco J. Beazley (ARG-G3) winner Far Away Love (by Violence).
Blues for Sale, in turn, is out of the winning Cure the Blues mare Key Cure, who was imported from the United States to Argentina in 2001. The next dam in Blue Prize’s tail-female line, Dancer’s Key (Key to the Mint x Dancer’s Saga, by Northern Dancer), is an unraced half sister to stakes winners Exclusive Story (by Exclusive Native), Colonial Saga (by Pleasant Colony), and Pleasant Tango (by Pleasant Colony). Dancer’s Key is also a half sister to Epic Villa (by Pancho Villa), dam of multiple Argentine Group 1 winner Knock (by Luhuk); to Junkinthetrunk (by Top Account), dam of English listed stakes winner Desert Phantom (by Arch); and to Susan’s Surprise (by Pleasant Tap), second dam of multiple Argentine Group 3 winner Pelo Platinado.
Books and media
Blue Prize’s win in the 2018 Spinster Stakes can be viewed at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tqU-90cj_yk.
Fun facts
Last updated: August 3, 2024
Race record
23 starts, 10 wins, 8 seconds, 3 thirds, US$2,692,253 (includes converted Argentine earnings)
2016:
- Won Gran Premio Selección (Argentine Oaks) (ARG-G1, 2000mD, Palermo)
- 2nd Gran Premio Polla de Potrancas (Argentine One Thousand Guineas) (ARG-G1, 1600mD, Palermo)
- 2nd Premio General Luis Maria Campos (ARG-G2, 1600mD, Palermo)
2017:
- Won Falls City Handicap (USA-G2, 8.5FD, Churchill Downs)
- 2nd Locust Grove Stakes (USA-G3, 8.5FD, Churchill Downs)
- 2nd Summer Colony Stakes (USA-R, 9FD, Saratoga)
- 3rd Juddmonte Spinster Stakes (USA-G1, 9FD, Keeneland)
2018:
- Won Juddmonte Spinster Stakes (USA-G1, 9FD, Keeneland)
- Won Fleur de Lis Handicap (USA-G2, 9FD, Churchill Downs)
- Won Locust Grove Stakes (USA-G3, 8.5FD, Churchill Downs)
- Won Top Flight Invitational Stakes (USA-L, 9FD, Aqueduct)
- 2nd Allaire DuPont Distaff Stakes (USA-G3, 8.5FD, Pimlico)
2019:
- Won Juddmonte Spinster Stakes (USA-G1, 9FD, Keeneland)
- Won Longines Breeders' Cup Distaff (USA-G1, 9FD, Santa Anita)
- Won Summer Colony Stakes (USA-R, 9FD, Saratoga)
- 2nd Fleur de Lis Handicap (USA-G2, 9FD, Churchill Downs)
- 3rd Delaware Handicap (USA-G2, 10FD, Delaware)
- 3rd La Troienne Stakes (USA-G1, 8.5FD, Churchill Downs)
Honors
- Pellegrini Award, Argentine champion 3-year-old filly (2016)
- Eclipse Award runner-up, American champion older female (2019)
Assessments
Rated at 118 pounds in the Mile category on the 2019 Longines World’s Best Racehorse Rankings, 10 pounds below overall highweight Crystal Ocean and 1 pound below American champion older female Midnight Bisou among females on dirt.
As an individual
A 16.3-hand, handsome, lengthy chestnut mare with great presence, Blue Prize had a tendency to indulge in idiosyncratic behavior if she made the lead too soon and too easily but was thoroughly determined and all business if hooked.
As a producer
Blue Prize has produced one named foal of racing age as of November 7, 2023, the 2021 Into Mischief colt Playback, who is unplaced in two starts.
Connections
Foaled at Haras Carampangue, Blue Prize was bred by Bioart S.A. and raced for Haras La Manjia. She was ridden to her victory in the Gran Premio Selección by Francisco Leandro Gonçalves, helping him to his fifth consecutive title and sixth overall as Argentina’s Jockey of the Year. Following her victory in the Gran Premio Selección, she was sold to Merribelle Stable (John Moores and Charles Noell) for further racing in the United States. In the USA, she was trained by Ignacio Correas IV and was ridden to her Breeders’ Cup Distaff win by Joe Bravo. Following the conclusion of her racing career, she was sent to the “Night of the Stars” at the 2019 Fasig-Tipton November sale and sold to OXO Equine (Larry Best) for US$5 million.
Pedigree notes
Blue Prize is inbred 4x5x5 to the great sire Northern Dancer, the Canadian Horse of the Year and American champion 3-year-old male of 1964. She is a half sister to 2021 Argentine champion older female Blue Stripe (by Equal Stripes), a multiple Grade/Group 1 winner and second by a nose in the 2022 Longines Breeders’ Cup Distaff.
Blue Prize and Blue Stripe are out of multiple Argentine Group 2 winner Blues for Sale, a full sister to Grade 3-placed Argentine listed stakes winner Cure for Sale. Their sire, Not for Sale, was champion sire in Argentina in 2014 and won the Pellegini Award as Argentine Stallion of the Year in 2011 and 2014. Blues for Sale is also a full sister to Far Away Eyes, dam of 2021 Premio Francisco J. Beazley (ARG-G3) winner Far Away Love (by Violence).
Blues for Sale, in turn, is out of the winning Cure the Blues mare Key Cure, who was imported from the United States to Argentina in 2001. The next dam in Blue Prize’s tail-female line, Dancer’s Key (Key to the Mint x Dancer’s Saga, by Northern Dancer), is an unraced half sister to stakes winners Exclusive Story (by Exclusive Native), Colonial Saga (by Pleasant Colony), and Pleasant Tango (by Pleasant Colony). Dancer’s Key is also a half sister to Epic Villa (by Pancho Villa), dam of multiple Argentine Group 1 winner Knock (by Luhuk); to Junkinthetrunk (by Top Account), dam of English listed stakes winner Desert Phantom (by Arch); and to Susan’s Surprise (by Pleasant Tap), second dam of multiple Argentine Group 3 winner Pelo Platinado.
Books and media
Blue Prize’s win in the 2018 Spinster Stakes can be viewed at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tqU-90cj_yk.
Fun facts
- Blue Prize was the third Argentine-bred mare to win the Breeders’ Cup Distaff. The others were Bayakoa (1990) and Paseana (1992), both two-time Eclipse Award winners as American champion older female.
Last updated: August 3, 2024