Prominent Broodmare Turk O Witz Dead

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Prominent broodmare Turk O Witz, whose four stakes winners included grade I winners Queens Court Queen and Mr Purple, was euthanized June 14 because of the infirmities of old age. The 26-year-old mare, owned by Alex Campbell Jr., resided at Darby Dan Farm near Lexington. Campbell had bought Turk O Witz for $260,000 at the 1980 Saratoga yearling sale.

Queens Court Queen, who earned $808,050, was one of the top older mares of 1995. The daughter of Lyphard beat champion Paseana in both the 1995 Santa Margarita Invitational (gr. I) and Santa Maria (gr. I) Handicaps and also won that year's San Gorgonio Handicap (gr. II).

Mr Purple's major score came in the 1996 Santa Anita Handicap (gr. I). The son of Deputy Minister earned a career total of $1,133,538.

Turk O Witz also produced stakes winners Turkaro (by Caro) and Sister Queen (by Irish River), plus graded stakes-placed Zanferrier (by Lyphard).

Campbell retained Queens Court Queen and Sister Queen as broodmares and keeps both at Darby Dan. Queens Court Queen is the dam of a 2005 colt by Darby Dan stallion Aldebaran and is in foal to Cherokee Run. Sister Queen produced a Storm Cat colt this year. She is in foal to Toccet  .

Turk O Witz, who was bred by Mrs. J.G. Jones, produced 16 foals, nine of which were winners. Her youngest foal, My Very Own Google, is a 2-year-old colt by Lemon Drop Kid  . As a racemare, Turk O Witz won twice in Ireland and was unplaced in North America.

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