Champion Christmas Past Dead

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Photo: Blood-Horse Library

Christmas Past, shown winning the 1982 Coaching Club American Oaks.

Christmas Past, a homebred champion filly for the late Cynthia Phipps, was euthanized Dec. 13 at age 29 because of complications from the infirmities of old age. She was buried at the Marchmont cemetery at the Hancock family’s Claiborne Farm near Paris, Ky.

Champion 3-year-old filly of 1982, Christmas Past won the Coaching Club American Oaks (gr. I), Ruffian Handicap (gr. I), Monmouth Oaks (gr. II), and the Bonnie Miss (gr. III) and Poinsettia (gr. III) Stakes. Against males, she ran third in the Jockey Club Gold Cup (gr. I).

At 4, she took on males again, this time in the Gulfstream Park Handicap (gr. I), and eked out a neck victory over Crafty Prospector, who went on to become a successful sire.

Christmas Past was retired in sound condition shortly after the Gulfstream race because “the weights she would have had to carry the rest of the year would be very difficult for her, especially against fillies,” trainer Angel Penna Jr. told The Blood-Horse.

Christmas Past, who belonged to the same female family as champion Our Mims and major winner Alydar, did not live up to expectations as a broodmare. Her 10 foals included six winners, but none won or placed in a stakes. A daughter produced stakes winner Check It Twice.

Christmas Past, by Grey Dawn II, was out of the Bold Ruler mare Yule Log.
 

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