Gold Strike (foaled 2002 in Manitoba) is a Canadian Thoroughbred Champion racehorse. Bred and raced by Dick Bonnycastle's Harlequin Ranches, she was out of the mare, Brassy Gold. Her sire was the outstanding Smart Strike, a two-time leading sire in North America who also sired Curlin, Soaring Free, and English Channel, among others.

Gold Strike
SireSmart Strike
GrandsireMr. Prospector
DamBrassy Gold
DamsireDixieland Brass
SexMare
Foaled2002 (age 21–22)
CountryCanada
ColourDark Bay/Brown
BreederHarlequin Ranches
OwnerHarlequin Ranches
TrainerBlair Miller (2004)
Reade Baker (2005/6)
Record9: 4-3-1
EarningsCan$564,500
Major wins
Buffalo Stakes (2004)
Debutante Stakes (2004)
Selene Stakes (2005)
Woodbine Oaks (2005)
Awards
CTHS Manitoba-bred Champion 2-Year-Old Filly (2004)
CTHS Manitoba-bred Horse of the Year (2005)
Canadian Champion 3-Year-Old Filly (2005)
Honours
Gold Strike Mile at Assiniboia Downs

Gold Strike is the dam of 2022 Kentucky Derby winner Rich Strike.

Racing career

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At age two in 2004, Gold Strike raced at Assiniboia Downs in Winnipeg, Manitoba for trainer Blair Miller where she won two of her three starts. Her wins came in the Buffalo Stakes plus a 15¾ length romp in the Debutante Stakes. Voted the 2004 CTHS Manitoba-bred Champion 2-Year-Old Filly, in October of that year she was sent to Toronto's Woodbine Racetrack where her race conditioning for the 2005 campaign was handled by Reade Baker.[1]

Racing at age three, Gold Strike was voted the 2005 Sovereign Award for Champion 3-Year-Old Filly following her wins in the Selene Stakes and Canada's most important race for three-year-old fillies, the Woodbine Oaks.[2][3] Gold Strike also earned a third-place finish against a field of males in the 2005 Queen's Plate. In addition to her Sovereign Award, she was named the CTHS Manitoba-bred Horse of the Year.[4] Gold Strike raced at age four with her best result a second in the Hendrie Stakes.

Broodmare career

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Retired to broodmare duty, in 2008 she produced her first foal named Lode Lady.[5] In 2019 she foaled Rich Strike, who would win the 2022 Kentucky Derby.[6]

See also

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Gold Strike's pedigree and partial racing stats

References

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  1. ^ "Achievements". Reade Baker. Retrieved 7 May 2022.
  2. ^ "Sovereign Awards > Past Award Winners". The Jockey Club of Canada. Archived from the original on 24 April 2009. Retrieved 7 May 2022.[dead link]
  3. ^ Kieckhefer, Robert (13 June 2005). "UPI Thoroughbred Racing Roundup". United Press International. Retrieved 7 May 2022.
  4. ^ Nairn, Ernie (3 May 2006). "Annual Manitoba CTHS/HBPA Awards Banquet at Assiniboia Downs". The Racing Journal. Retrieved 7 May 2022.
  5. ^ "Lode Lady Horse Pedigree". Pedigree Online Thoroughbred Database. Retrieved 7 May 2022.
  6. ^ "Rich Strike Horse Pedigree". Pedigree Online Thoroughbred Database. Retrieved 7 May 2022.