Indian Blessing couldn’t have ended 2008 on a more perfect note when she registered a gutsy 1 1/2-length score Dec. 27 in the La Brea (gr. I) at Santa Anita Park. The win marked her fifth lifetime grade I victory.
In her two years of racing, Indian Blessing has done little wrong by owner/breeder Hal J. Earnhardt III. Now a two-time Eclipse Award champion, the daughter of Indian Charliedeservingly earned her second title by succeeding in two other grade I stakes races last year in addition to the La Brea: the Prioress at Belmont, and the Test at Saratoga.
Indian Blessing, who was named champion 2-year-old filly in 2007 and leading sprint female in 2008, has never finished off the board in 12 starts. The filly won six of her nine outings in 2008, including three other graded stakes triumphs.
Earnhardt emphasized how special it has been for his family to own a filly like Indian Blessing, not only because of her superstar status, but also because he bred and raced, in partnership, her grade I-winning sire, Indian Charlie.
“It’s a special honor,” he said. We feel very, very fortunate. It’s an ‘all-in-the-family’ situation starting many years ago, and we might not ever be in this position again, so, like her name says, we’re blessed to be here.”
The Earnhardts also campaigned Indian Blessing’s dam, the stakes-winning Flying Chevron mare Shameful, who is still a part of his family’s broodmare band residing at Hill ‘n’ Dale Farms in Kentucky.
An Arizona native and president of a southwest-based automotive group, Earnhardt has four children with his wife, Patti. In the past, Earnhardt has raced other grade I winners El Corredor(gr. I) and Behaving Badly (gr. I).
