'She was a pleasure to be around' - Grade 1 winner and sales-ring stunner Plum Pretty dies at 16

Gainesway has announced the passing of Plum Pretty at the age of 16. The sensational mare by Medaglia D’Oro out of the A.P Indy mare Liszy died at Gainesway Farm.

On the track, she earned nearly $1.7 million from 12 starts. Raced by John Fort’s Peachtree Stable, Plum Pretty began her illustrious career with a victory on her two-year-old debut in 2010. At three she placed in the Grade 2 Santa Ynez and Grade 1 Las Virgenes Stakes before dominating the Sunland Park Oaks by an eye-popping 25 lengths. 

Building off that incredible performance, she captured the 2011 Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks, becoming the top filly of her generation.

Additionally, Plum Pretty won the 2012 Grade 1 Apple Blossom Handicap, and the Grade 2 Cotillion Stakes, as well as placing in the Grade 2 Hollywood Oaks, Grade 1 CCA Oaks and Grade 2 La Troienne Stakes under the care of trainer Bob Baffert.

Bred in Kentucky by Silent Indy Stables & DDS Stables, Plum Pretty was purchased by Fort at the 2010 OBS March sale. She went through the ring again in the 2012 Keeneland November Sale, where she was purchased by Mandy Pope’s Whisper Hill Farm as a broodmare prospect from the consignment of Taylor Made, for a cool $4.2m.

Plum Pretty had a great life as a broodmare post-racing, originally at Wayne and Cathy Sweezey’s Timber Town Farm and then at Antony Beck’s Gainesway Farm

Pope said: “She was a pleasure to be around and always a great mom. We are blessed to have several fillies out of her still to race and one that has already produced a foal. 

"The colts have gone on to secondary careers in the show world and have her awesome personality.”

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