Sweet Life (USA)
March 15, 1996 – January 19, 2023
Kris S. (USA) x Symbolically (USA), by Flying Paster (USA)
Family 21
March 15, 1996 – January 19, 2023
Kris S. (USA) x Symbolically (USA), by Flying Paster (USA)
Family 21
One of four stakes winners produced from her dam, Sweet Life had enough talent to be Grade 1-placed. That’s much better than an empty stall but much less than what Sweet Life accomplished as a broodmare. One of six mares to produce two Breeders’ Cup winners—one of them a champion—Sweet Life was named the 2009 Broodmare of the Year by the Kentucky Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association. Unfortunately, neither of her top daughters has been anywhere near her caliber as a producer, and it remains to be seen how well her family will breed on.
Race record
13 starts, 4 wins, 1 second, 1 third, US$223,486
1999:
2000:
Honors
Kentucky Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association Broodmare of the Year (2009)
As an individual
A big, strong, rangy dark bay or brown mare, Sweet Life was much in the mold of her sire, Kris S., with prominent withers and plenty of substance.
As a producer
Sweet Life produced 11 named foals, of which five started and won. Her important foals are as follow:
Connections
Foaled in California, Sweet Life was bred and owned by Martin and Pam Wygod. She was trained by Julio Canani. After foaling her Breeders’ Cup-winning daughters at Mill Ridge Farm in Kentucky, she was moved to Lane’s End Farm in 2008. She was pensioned from broodmare duty in 2018 and died as a pensioner at Lane’s End in early 2023. She was buried at Lane’s End.
Pedigree notes
Sweet Life is inbred 4x5 to the important sire Turn-to; 5x5 to Turn-to’s sire, Royal Charger; and 5x5x5 to five-time American champion sire Nasrullah, a three-quarters brother to Royal Charger. Sweet Life is a half sister to 1995 Milady Handicap (USA-G1) winner Pirate’s Revenge and to restricted stakes winners Echo of Yesterday and Caribbean Pirate, all by Pirate’s Bounty. Sweet Life is also a half sister to Symbolic (by Silver Deputy), second dam of Grade 3 winner Fahan Mura.
Sweet Life and her siblings were produced from stakes-placed Symbolically (by three-time Grade 1 winner Flying Paster, by Gummo), whose full sister, Radiantly, is the dam of stakes winner Mr. Vic (by Victorian Line). A daughter of stakes winner Hail to the Queen (by 1971 Michigan Mile and One-Eighth Handicap winner Native Royalty, by Raise a Native), Symbolically is also a half sister to Exquisitively (by Topsider), dam of multiple Venezuelan stakes winner Soul Provider (by Chayim). Hail to the Queen, in turn, is a half sister to My Appreciation (by Exclusive Native), dam of 1992 A Gleam Handicap (USA-G2) winner Forest Fealty (by Baederwood), and is out of Instinctively, a daughter of 1960 Wood Memorial winner Francis S. and the Turn-to mare Cargreen.
Fun facts
Last updated: December 12, 2025
Race record
13 starts, 4 wins, 1 second, 1 third, US$223,486
1999:
- Won Providencia Stakes (USA-R, 9FT, Santa Anita)
- 3rd San Clemente Handicap (USA-G2, 8FT, Del Mar)
2000:
- 2nd Beverly Hills Handicap (USA-G1, 10FT, Hollywood)
Honors
Kentucky Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association Broodmare of the Year (2009)
As an individual
A big, strong, rangy dark bay or brown mare, Sweet Life was much in the mold of her sire, Kris S., with prominent withers and plenty of substance.
As a producer
Sweet Life produced 11 named foals, of which five started and won. Her important foals are as follow:
- Sweet Catomine (2002, by Storm Cat) was the American champion 2-year-old filly of 2004 after winning the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (USA-G1) and the Del Mar Debutante Stakes (USA-G1). She trained on at 3 to win the 2005 Santa Anita Oaks (USA-G1) but was a disappointing producer.
- Life Is Sweet (2005, by Storm Cat) won the 2009 Breeders’ Cup Ladies’ Classic (USA-G1) and Santa Margarita Invitational Handicap (USA-G1). She was a disappointing producer.
- Calimonco (2006, by Storm Cat) won the listed Sid Finch Stakes in 2012 and was twice Grade 2-placed. He stood in California and Oklahoma but sired nothing of significance from limited opportunities.
- Ain’t She Sweet (2007, by Storm Cat) never raced but is the second dam of Grade 3 winner Waves of Mischief.
- Symbolic Gesture (2013, by Bernardini) never raced but is the dam of 2020 Risen Star Stakes (USA-G2) winner Modernist (by Uncle Mo).
Connections
Foaled in California, Sweet Life was bred and owned by Martin and Pam Wygod. She was trained by Julio Canani. After foaling her Breeders’ Cup-winning daughters at Mill Ridge Farm in Kentucky, she was moved to Lane’s End Farm in 2008. She was pensioned from broodmare duty in 2018 and died as a pensioner at Lane’s End in early 2023. She was buried at Lane’s End.
Pedigree notes
Sweet Life is inbred 4x5 to the important sire Turn-to; 5x5 to Turn-to’s sire, Royal Charger; and 5x5x5 to five-time American champion sire Nasrullah, a three-quarters brother to Royal Charger. Sweet Life is a half sister to 1995 Milady Handicap (USA-G1) winner Pirate’s Revenge and to restricted stakes winners Echo of Yesterday and Caribbean Pirate, all by Pirate’s Bounty. Sweet Life is also a half sister to Symbolic (by Silver Deputy), second dam of Grade 3 winner Fahan Mura.
Sweet Life and her siblings were produced from stakes-placed Symbolically (by three-time Grade 1 winner Flying Paster, by Gummo), whose full sister, Radiantly, is the dam of stakes winner Mr. Vic (by Victorian Line). A daughter of stakes winner Hail to the Queen (by 1971 Michigan Mile and One-Eighth Handicap winner Native Royalty, by Raise a Native), Symbolically is also a half sister to Exquisitively (by Topsider), dam of multiple Venezuelan stakes winner Soul Provider (by Chayim). Hail to the Queen, in turn, is a half sister to My Appreciation (by Exclusive Native), dam of 1992 A Gleam Handicap (USA-G2) winner Forest Fealty (by Baederwood), and is out of Instinctively, a daughter of 1960 Wood Memorial winner Francis S. and the Turn-to mare Cargreen.
Fun facts
- Life Is Sweet’s Breeders’ Cup win made Sweet Life the third mare to produce two Breeders’ Cup winners, following Primal Force (Awesome Again, 1998 Breeders’ Cup Classic, and Macho Uno, 2000 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile) and Hasili (Banks Hill, 2001 Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf, and Intercontinental, 2005 Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf). Three other mares have since accomplished the feat: Win Approval (Miesque’s Approval, 2006 Breeders’ Cup Mile, and World Approval, 2017 Breeders’ Cup Mile), Leslie’s Lady (three-time Breeders’ Cup winner Beholder and 2017 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf winner Mendelssohn), and Senta’s Dream (Iridessa, 2019 Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf, and Order of Australia, 2020 Breeders’ Cup Mile).
- Sweet Life is the namesake for a stakes race for 3-year-old fillies at Santa Anita. The race was inaugurated in 2010.
Last updated: December 12, 2025