Champion My Juliet Dead

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My Juliet, champion sprinter of 1976 for George Weasel Jr. and one of the big reasons why her half-brother commanded $10.2 million at the 1983 Keeneland July yearling sale, has died. Foaled in 1972, the daughter of Gallant Romeo out of the Bupers mare My Bupers produced three stakes winners, including grade I winners Tis Juliet and Stella Madrid.

In an extraordinary show of courage, My Juliet returned from an injury to earn her championship. She suffered a hairline fracture of a cannon bone during her victory in the Vagrancy Handicap (gr. III) at Belmont Park in May and underwent surgery at the New Bolton Center. Off until the fall, she closed out the year with four consecutive wins, including a championship clincher over dual classic winner Bold Forbes in the seven-furlong Vosburgh Handicap (gr. II) in 1:21 4/5 at Aqueduct. A 4-year-old that year, she won six of eight races for trainer Eugene Euster.

My Juliet, who was bred in Kentucky by J.R. Bettersworth, won 17 stakes during her career and earned $548,859 in four years of racing. Not only was she fast -- once running an opening quarter in :203/5 -- she also could carry her speed over a distance of ground. She won the 1977 Michigan Mile and One-Eighth Handicap (gr. II) against males, and took the 1 1/16-mile Black-Eyed Susan Stakes (gr. III) her 3-year-old season, both leading all the way.

My Juliet also got off to a quick start as a broodmare. Her first foal, Bold Julie (by Bold Forbes), developed into a stakes winner. Bold Julie's added-money win came in July of 1983, and a couple of weeks later, My Juliet's half-brother by Northern Dancer was the hot item at the Keeneland yearling sale. Sheikh Mohammed, in the name of Aston Upthorpe Stud, outbid a group led by Robert Sangster and took him home for a then-record bid of $10.2 million. Given the name Snaafi Dancer, the colt was unraced and failed to distinguish himself at stud.

After producing two foals for Weasel, My Juliet foaled several offspring for Calumet Farm at the time it was managed by J.T. Lundy. The first was Tis Juliet and the next was Stella Madrid. The latter also developed into a stakes producer. In 1991, My Juliet (in foal to Criminal Type) was bought by Emmanuel de Seroux' Narvick International for $210,000 at the Keeneland November sale.

My Juliet's last foal, Valiant Victory, was bred by de Seroux' brother, Eric. A 3-year-old this year, Valiant Victory has won his last two starts.

My Juliet, who was last known to reside at Eric de Seroux' Pleasant Retreat Farm near Paris, Ky., produced 10 foals, nine of whom were winners.

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