Major Producer Minstrella Dies

Minstrella, a homebred champion and major producer for the late Edward P. Evans, was euthanized early this year at age 28. By The Minstrel, Virginia-bred Minstrella was buried at Spring Hill Farm, owned by Evans’ estate, near Casanova, Va.

A great-granddaughter of Hall of Fame race mare Gallorette, Minstrella was Ireland’s champion 2-year-old filly of 1986 and an English group I winner that year. She captured both of Ireland’s group I stakes for 2-year-olds, the Heinz 57 Phoenix Stakes for colts and fillies, and the Moyglare Stud Stakes for fillies. In England, she won the group I Tattersalls Cheveley Park Stakes by way of a disqualification and captured that year’s Chesham Stakes.

Minstrella was returned to the United States in the middle of 1987. In her sole U.S. race, she finished 10th in the Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup Stakes (gr. IIIT) at Keeneland. She was retired with a record of 4-2-0 from 11 starts and earnings of $317,280.

As a broodmare, Minstrella produced 16 foals, 11 of which were winners, including stakes winners Colonial Minstrel, Minidar, and Unrestrained, all of which raced as homebreds for Evans. Colonial Minstrel and Minidar were graded winners.

Evans also won stakes with several second-generation descendants of Minstrella. The group includes A Little Warm, who won the 2010 Jim Dandy Stakes (gr. II) at Saratoga, and other graded winner Pleasant Strike . A third-generation desecendant, Mini Sermon, captured the Top Flight Handicap (gr. II).

Minstrella, who produced her last foal in 2007, was produced from the stakes-placed Misty Flight mare Flight Dancer, whose granddaughter Quiet Dance is the second dam of Horse of the Year Saint Liam.