Ginger Punch (USA)
April 23, 2003 – Living
Awesome Again (CAN) x Nappelon (CAN), by Bold Revenue (CAN)
Family 16-d
April 23, 2003 – Living
Awesome Again (CAN) x Nappelon (CAN), by Bold Revenue (CAN)
Family 16-d
A late-maturing filly, Ginger Punch came into her own during the second half of her 4-year-old season and earned an Eclipse Award with a game score in a roughly run edition of the Breeders’ Cup Distaff (USA-G1). As a 5-year-old, she continued to race successfully at the highest level but was not a match for Zenyatta, who took the first of her three consecutive titles as American champion older female that year. Like many top females during the first decade of the 20th century, Ginger Punch was purchased for export to Japan following her racing career and has been a success there as a broodmare.
Race record
22 starts, 12 wins, 6 seconds, 2 thirds, US$3,065,603
2007:
2008:
Honors
Assessments
Rated at 118 pounds in the Mile category on the 2007 World Thoroughbred Racehorse Rankings, 13 pounds below overall highweight Manduro (a multiple highweight in Europe) and 5 pounds below the top dirt female, American champion 3-year-old filly Rags to Riches.
Rated at 118 pounds in the Mile and Intermediate categories on the 2008 World Thoroughbred Rankings, 12 pounds below American Horse of the Year Curlin (who topped both categories), the overall highweight, and tied with Hystericalady as the best filly or mare on dirt. (Zenyatta, who earned a 125-pound rating, gained that evaluation on a synthetic surface.)
As an individual
A chestnut mare with a bold, dominant attitude, Ginger Punch was a gritty and determined runner who handled both fast and sloppy surfaces well. She was not as effective over synthetics. She ran best when stalking the pace.
As a producer
As of March 14, 2025, Ginger Punch has produced nine named foals of racing age; all nine have started and eight have won. Her important foals are as follow:
Connections
Foaled in Florida, Ginger Punch was bred by Adena Springs and raced in the colors of Adena Springs owner Frank Stronach, who campaigned her in the name of his Stronach Stables. She was trained by Robert “Bobby Frankel” and was ridden to her score in the Breeders’ Cup Distaff by Rafael Bejarano; her regular rider. She was retired after finishing sixth in the 2008 Breeders' Cup Ladies' Classic (USA-G1). She was purchased by Katsumi Yoshida for US$1.6 million at the 2009 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky mixed sale, in foal to Bernardini, and was sent to Northern Farm in Japan.
Pedigree notes
Ginger Punch is inbred 5x5 to 1963 American co-champion 2-year-old male Raise a Native. She is a half sister to Gold Revenue (by Touch Gold), dam of 2017 Premio Pamplona (PER-G1) winner and Peruvian champion grass mare Birdie Gold (by Birdstone) and of King Goldbird (by Birdstone), a Group 2-placed listed stakes winner in Peru.
Ginger Punch was produced from 1995 Comely Stakes (USA-G2) winner Nappelon, whose sire Bold Revenue (by Bold Ruckus) won seven stakes races in Canada at ages 2 through 4. Nappelon’s dam Sally Go Gray (by 1968 Flamingo Stakes winner Wise Exchange) is a half sister to 1973 Hessian Handicap (USA-G3) winner Escaped (by Royal Orbit) and to Nothings Free (by Freetex), dam of 1988 Display Handicap (USA-G3) winner Easy n Dirty (by Debussy).
Surreptitious, the dam of Sally Go Gray and her siblings, is an unraced daughter of the good Mid-Atlantic regional sire Rambunctious (a two-time stakes winner as a juvenile) out of the unraced One Count mare Angelines Choice. The next dam in Ginger Punch’s tail-female line, the French import Dulcine, is by 1944 Poule d’Essai des Poulains (French Two Thousand Guineas) and 1951 French champion sire Prince Bio out of Dulcimer (by two-time Italian champion Donatello II) and is a half sister to Dulzetta (by Bozzeto), dam of 1963 Prix Cleopatre winner Doronic (by Worden II), and to Dulciora (by Pan II), dam of 1974 Prix Noailles (FR-G2) winner D’Arras (by Djakao).
Books and media
Footage of Ginger Punch’s win in the 2007 Breeders’ Cup Distaff can be viewed at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ngIsAeMKZMI.
Fun facts
Last updated: March 14, 2025
Race record
22 starts, 12 wins, 6 seconds, 2 thirds, US$3,065,603
2007:
- Won Go for Wand Handicap (USA-G1, 9FD, Saratoga)
- Won Ruffian Handicap (USA-G1, 8.5FD, Belmont)
- Won Emirates Airlines Breeders' Cup Distaff (USA-G1, 9FD, Monmouth)
- Won First Flight Handicap (USA-G2, 7FD, Belmont)
- 2nd Ogden Phipps Handicap (USA-G1, 8.5FD, Belmont)
- 2nd Vinery Madison Stakes (USA-G2, 7FA, Keeneland)
- 3rd Beldame Stakes (USA-G1, 9FD, Belmont)
2008:
- Won Personal Ensign Stakes (USA-G1, 10FD, Saratoga)
- Won Ogden Phipps Handicap (USA-G1, 8.5FD, Belmont)
- Won Go for Wand Handicap (USA-G1, 9FD, Saratoga)
- Won Louisville Breeders' Cup Stakes (USA-G2, 8.5FD, Churchill Downs)
- Won Sunshine Millions Distaff Stakes (USA-R, 9FD, Gulfstream Park)
- 2nd Beldame Stakes (USA-G1, 9FD, Belmont)
- 3rd Apple Blossom Handicap (USA-G1, 8.5FD, Oaklawn Park)
Honors
- Eclipse Award, American champion older female (2007)
- Florida-bred Horse of the Year (2007)
- Florida-bred champion older female (2007, 2008)
Assessments
Rated at 118 pounds in the Mile category on the 2007 World Thoroughbred Racehorse Rankings, 13 pounds below overall highweight Manduro (a multiple highweight in Europe) and 5 pounds below the top dirt female, American champion 3-year-old filly Rags to Riches.
Rated at 118 pounds in the Mile and Intermediate categories on the 2008 World Thoroughbred Rankings, 12 pounds below American Horse of the Year Curlin (who topped both categories), the overall highweight, and tied with Hystericalady as the best filly or mare on dirt. (Zenyatta, who earned a 125-pound rating, gained that evaluation on a synthetic surface.)
As an individual
A chestnut mare with a bold, dominant attitude, Ginger Punch was a gritty and determined runner who handled both fast and sloppy surfaces well. She was not as effective over synthetics. She ran best when stalking the pace.
As a producer
As of March 14, 2025, Ginger Punch has produced nine named foals of racing age; all nine have started and eight have won. Her important foals are as follow:
- Rouge Buck (2012, by Manhattan Cafe) won four group stakes races, including the 2016 Mainichi Okan (JPN-G2) and the 2017 Sankei Sho All Comers Stakes (JPN-G2), and was second in the 2015 Yushun Himba (Japanese Oaks, JPN-G1).
- Potager (2017, by Deep Impact) won the 2022 Osaka Hai (JPN-G1).
- Tenkaharu (2018, by King Kamehameha) won the 2023 Brazil Cup (JPN-L).
Connections
Foaled in Florida, Ginger Punch was bred by Adena Springs and raced in the colors of Adena Springs owner Frank Stronach, who campaigned her in the name of his Stronach Stables. She was trained by Robert “Bobby Frankel” and was ridden to her score in the Breeders’ Cup Distaff by Rafael Bejarano; her regular rider. She was retired after finishing sixth in the 2008 Breeders' Cup Ladies' Classic (USA-G1). She was purchased by Katsumi Yoshida for US$1.6 million at the 2009 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky mixed sale, in foal to Bernardini, and was sent to Northern Farm in Japan.
Pedigree notes
Ginger Punch is inbred 5x5 to 1963 American co-champion 2-year-old male Raise a Native. She is a half sister to Gold Revenue (by Touch Gold), dam of 2017 Premio Pamplona (PER-G1) winner and Peruvian champion grass mare Birdie Gold (by Birdstone) and of King Goldbird (by Birdstone), a Group 2-placed listed stakes winner in Peru.
Ginger Punch was produced from 1995 Comely Stakes (USA-G2) winner Nappelon, whose sire Bold Revenue (by Bold Ruckus) won seven stakes races in Canada at ages 2 through 4. Nappelon’s dam Sally Go Gray (by 1968 Flamingo Stakes winner Wise Exchange) is a half sister to 1973 Hessian Handicap (USA-G3) winner Escaped (by Royal Orbit) and to Nothings Free (by Freetex), dam of 1988 Display Handicap (USA-G3) winner Easy n Dirty (by Debussy).
Surreptitious, the dam of Sally Go Gray and her siblings, is an unraced daughter of the good Mid-Atlantic regional sire Rambunctious (a two-time stakes winner as a juvenile) out of the unraced One Count mare Angelines Choice. The next dam in Ginger Punch’s tail-female line, the French import Dulcine, is by 1944 Poule d’Essai des Poulains (French Two Thousand Guineas) and 1951 French champion sire Prince Bio out of Dulcimer (by two-time Italian champion Donatello II) and is a half sister to Dulzetta (by Bozzeto), dam of 1963 Prix Cleopatre winner Doronic (by Worden II), and to Dulciora (by Pan II), dam of 1974 Prix Noailles (FR-G2) winner D’Arras (by Djakao).
Books and media
Footage of Ginger Punch’s win in the 2007 Breeders’ Cup Distaff can be viewed at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ngIsAeMKZMI.
Fun facts
- Although Frank Stronach typically nominated 18-20 foals to the Breeders’ Cup from each crop he bred, Ginger Punch was not one of the foals he nominated in 2003. As a result, he had to pay a US$180,000 supplementary fee to enter her in the 2007 Breeders’ Cup Distaff and did so only at the urging of trainer Bobby Frankel. The gamble paid off as Ginger Punch earned $1,220,400 for her victory.
- Stronach was lucky to retain Ginger Punch as he had entered the filly in the 2005 Adena Springs 2-year-olds in training sale. Fortunately for him, Ginger Punch failed to make her reserve on a final bid of US$27,000.
- Ginger Punch was the last of six Breeders’ Cup winners for Bobby Frankel, who died in 2009.
- Ginger Punch became the namesake for a stakes race for fillies and mares at Gulfstream Park.
Last updated: March 14, 2025