Escena (USA)
May 12, 1993 – June 3, 2015
Strawberry Road (AUS) x Claxton’s Slew (USA), by Seattle Slew (USA)
Family 13-c
May 12, 1993 – June 3, 2015
Strawberry Road (AUS) x Claxton’s Slew (USA), by Seattle Slew (USA)
Family 13-c
A rugged, late-developing mare, Escena reached the peak of her form at age 5. Her three Grade 1 wins that year included a thrilling victory in the Breeders’ Cup Classic, which she took by a desperate nose over champion 3-year-old filly Banshee Breeze. Sold for a sale-record price as a broodmare, she was far less successful as a producer than as a racer.
Race record
29 starts, 11 wins, 9 seconds, 3 thirds, US$2,962,639
1995:
1996:
1997:
1998:
Honors
Eclipse Award, American champion older female (1998)
As an individual
A strongly made bay mare, Escena was said to bear considerable physical and temperamental resemblance to her sire, Strawberry Road. She had a zest for racing and could set the pace or stalk it. She was not as effective on turf as she was on dirt although she was certainly quite capable on firm going. She was game and determined when set down for a drive.
As a producer
Escena produced nine named foals, of which seven started and six won. Her important foals are as follow:
Connections
Foaled in Kentucky, Escena was bred and owned by Allen E. Paulson and was trained by Bill Mott. She was ridden to her Breeders’ Cup Distaff win by Gary Stevens. Offered at the 1999 Keeneland January mixed sale, she sold to Guy and Diane Snowden via agent Raymond Bell Jr. for a sale-record US$3.25 million for a broodmare or broodmare prospect. As a pensioner, she resided at Diamond A Farms near Versailles, Kentucky. She died there due to the infirmities of old age on June 3, 2015, and was buried at the farm.
Pedigree notes
Escena is outcrossed through five generations. She is a half sister to 1995 Blandford Stakes (IRE-G2) winner Humbel (by Theatrical) and to 2002 Boiling Springs Breeders’ Cup Handicap (USA-G3) winner Showlady (by Theatrical). Escena is also a half sister to Renowned Cat (by Storm Cat), second dam of multiple Group 3 winner Mendelssohn Bay.
Escena and her siblings were produced from Claxton’s Slew, who won two listed races and was Group 2-placed in Ireland. A half sister to the minor stakes winner Motee (by Hopeful Word), Claxton’s Slew is also a half sister to Nutmeg Lady (by Poison Ivory), dam of restricted stakes winner He’s O K (by Schaufuss).
Claxton’s Slew, in turn, is out of unraced Nutmeg Native (by Raise a Native), whose half sister Intriguing Honor (by Sham) is a minor stakes winner and the dam of juvenile stakes winner Shahra Bay (by Shahrastani). Also a half sister to stakes winner Without Peer (by Creme Dela Creme) and to Lovely to Look At (by Creme Dela Creme), dam of Grade 2 winner Tall Grass Walker (by Navajo), Nutmeg Native is out of the winning My Babu mare Inviting, a half sister to two-time Gallorette Stakes winner and important producer Gold Digger (by Nashua), to 1955 Cowdin Stakes winner Noorsaga (by Noor), and to steeplechase stakes winner Hermod (by Royal Charger).
Books and media
Footage of Escena’s win in the Breeders’ Cup Distaff can be viewed at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gA9K9J8Gr1Y.
Fun facts
Last updated: February 14, 2026
Race record
29 starts, 11 wins, 9 seconds, 3 thirds, US$2,962,639
1995:
- 3rd Demoiselle Stakes (USA-G2, 9FD, Aqueduct)
1996:
- Won Fantasy Stakes (USA-G2, 8.5FD, Oaklawn Park)
- 2nd Kentucky Oaks (USA-G1, 9FD, Churchill Downs)
- 2nd Mother Goose Stakes (USA-G1, 9FD, Belmont)
- 2nd Alabama Stakes (USA-G1, 10FD, Saratoga)
- 2nd Gazelle Handicap (USA-G1, 9FD, Belmont)
- 2nd Bonnie Miss Stakes (USA-G2, 8.5FD, Gulfstream Park)
1997:
- Won Ramona Handicap (USA-G1, 9FT, Del Mar)
- 2nd Louisville Breeders' Cup Handicap (USA-G2, 8.5FD, Churchill Downs)
- 3rd Breeders' Cup Distaff (USA-G1, 9FD, Hollywood)
- 3rd Shuvee Handicap (USA, 8FD, Belmont)
1998:
- Won Breeders' Cup Distaff (USA-G1, 9FD, Churchill Downs)
- Won Apple Blossom Handicap (USA-G1, 8.5FD, Oaklawn Park)
- Won Vanity Invitational Handicap. (USA-G1, 9FD, Hollywood)
- Won Louisville Breeders' Cup Handicap (USA-G2, 8.5FD, Churchill Downs)
- Won Fleur de Lis Handicap (USA-G3, 9FD, Churchill Downs)
- 2nd Go for Wand Handicap (USA-G1, 9FD, Saratoga)
- 2nd Rampart Handicap (USA-G2, 8.5FD, Gulfstream Park)
- 2nd Sabin Handicap (USA-G3, 8F+70yD, Gulfstream Park)
Honors
Eclipse Award, American champion older female (1998)
As an individual
A strongly made bay mare, Escena was said to bear considerable physical and temperamental resemblance to her sire, Strawberry Road. She had a zest for racing and could set the pace or stalk it. She was not as effective on turf as she was on dirt although she was certainly quite capable on firm going. She was game and determined when set down for a drive.
As a producer
Escena produced nine named foals, of which seven started and six won. Her important foals are as follow:
- Scarlett Madeleine (2009, by Smart Strike) never raced but is the dam of the minor stakes winner Nantucket Red (by Get Stormy).
- Clemency (2014, by Shackleford) never raced but is the dam of stakes winner Love My Jimmy (by Tapiture).
Connections
Foaled in Kentucky, Escena was bred and owned by Allen E. Paulson and was trained by Bill Mott. She was ridden to her Breeders’ Cup Distaff win by Gary Stevens. Offered at the 1999 Keeneland January mixed sale, she sold to Guy and Diane Snowden via agent Raymond Bell Jr. for a sale-record US$3.25 million for a broodmare or broodmare prospect. As a pensioner, she resided at Diamond A Farms near Versailles, Kentucky. She died there due to the infirmities of old age on June 3, 2015, and was buried at the farm.
Pedigree notes
Escena is outcrossed through five generations. She is a half sister to 1995 Blandford Stakes (IRE-G2) winner Humbel (by Theatrical) and to 2002 Boiling Springs Breeders’ Cup Handicap (USA-G3) winner Showlady (by Theatrical). Escena is also a half sister to Renowned Cat (by Storm Cat), second dam of multiple Group 3 winner Mendelssohn Bay.
Escena and her siblings were produced from Claxton’s Slew, who won two listed races and was Group 2-placed in Ireland. A half sister to the minor stakes winner Motee (by Hopeful Word), Claxton’s Slew is also a half sister to Nutmeg Lady (by Poison Ivory), dam of restricted stakes winner He’s O K (by Schaufuss).
Claxton’s Slew, in turn, is out of unraced Nutmeg Native (by Raise a Native), whose half sister Intriguing Honor (by Sham) is a minor stakes winner and the dam of juvenile stakes winner Shahra Bay (by Shahrastani). Also a half sister to stakes winner Without Peer (by Creme Dela Creme) and to Lovely to Look At (by Creme Dela Creme), dam of Grade 2 winner Tall Grass Walker (by Navajo), Nutmeg Native is out of the winning My Babu mare Inviting, a half sister to two-time Gallorette Stakes winner and important producer Gold Digger (by Nashua), to 1955 Cowdin Stakes winner Noorsaga (by Noor), and to steeplechase stakes winner Hermod (by Royal Charger).
Books and media
Footage of Escena’s win in the Breeders’ Cup Distaff can be viewed at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gA9K9J8Gr1Y.
Fun facts
- “Escena” means “scene” in Spanish.
- Escena’s sale-record price at the 1999 Keeneland January sale was topped the following year by her own dam, Claxton’s Slew, who went for US$3.3 million.
Last updated: February 14, 2026