'She will be missed by us all' - George Washington's only foal and black-type producer Date With Destiny dies aged 16

Date With Destiny, the sole progeny of the brilliant but ill-fated George Washington, has died aged 16. 

She was a celebrated member of the Newsells Park Stud broodmare band and the operation posted on X: "Very sad to report that we lost Date With Destiny over the weekend, due to complications following colic surgery.  She was 16. Date With Destiny was the only progeny of George Washington and the dam of Group winner Beautiful Morning. A Diva. She will be missed by us all here."

Bred by Azienda Agricola Loreto Luciani out of the Rainbow Quest mare Flawlessly, Date With Destiny was the only foal from George Washington's short stint at Coolmore before the 2,000 Guineas winner returned to training . 

She sold to Glidawn Stud from the Irish National Stud for €280,000 at the Goffs November Foal Sale and then to Peter Doyle for 320,000gns as a yearling from Tattersalls Book 1. 

Date With Destiny: black-type performer and producer by the ill-fated George WashingtonCredit: Edward Whitaker

Sent into training with Richard Hannon snr for Julie Wood, she was a debut winner at two when striking at Newbury that July. The half-sister to Ombre Legere and Flawly also picked up black type when third in the following year's Lingfield Oaks Trial. Later that year she sold to John Warren for 185,000gns at the Tattersalls December Mare Sale.

At paddocks, Date With Destiny is the dam of three winners, headed by her first foal Beautiful Morning. The daughter of Galileo won at two for Luca Cumani and was also Listed-placed in the Oaks Trial at Newbury before picking up black-type scores in the Royal Whip and John Musker Fillies' Stakes. 

Date With Destiny also produced the smart Dubawi colt Classic, a dual winner for Richard Hannon jnr and Julie Wood who remains in training this term. Her third winner is the Churchill filly La Gloire, a scorer at Chantilly in 2022 for Andre Fabre and Godolphin. 

Date With Destiny has a further two daughters which have become broodmares in Janabiya (Nathaniel) and Date In Vegas (Lope De Vega), while she produced a Night Of Thunder colt last year and a filly by Ghaiyyath this term. 

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