Madcap Escapade, a grade I winner whose first foal developed into a grade I winner, died June 2 of colic. She was owned by Bruce Lunsford and John Sikura’s Hill ‘n’ Dale Farms. The 11-year-old Hennessy mare will be buried close to the farm’s foundation mare, Daijin, at Hill ‘n’ Dale near Lexington.
“Madcap Escapade was a fantastic race mare and well on her way to becoming a great broodmare,” Sikura said. “Her first foal, Mi Sueno, was a grade I winner.
“We have retained an A.P. Indy filly (3-year-old Divine Escapade) out of Madcap Escapade who is unraced and in foal to War Front , and will race her 2-year-old colt by Unbridled's Song.”
A $160,000 Keeneland September yearling, Madcap Escapade won seven of nine starts and earned $1,052,852 for Lunsford while trained by Frank L. Brothers. Her most important triumph came in the 2004 Ashland Stakes (gr. I) at Keeneland over subsequent champion Ashado. In her next start Madcap Escapade finished third to Ashado in the Kentucky Oaks (gr. I).
Madcap Escapade won five other stakes, four of which were graded, including the Shirley Jones Handicap (gr. II) in track-record time, the Princess Rooney Handicap (gr. II), and the Stonerside Forward Gal Stakes (gr. II).
Madcap Escapade was North America’s highest-price broodmare purchase of 2006. Consigned by Claiborne Farm, agent, she was bought by Hill ‘n’ Dale while in foal to Pulpit for $6 million at the Keeneland November breeding stock sale. Mi Sueno was the resultant foal.
Mi Sueno was one of the leading 2-year-olds of 2009. A $1.7 million Keeneland November weanling, Mi Sueno captured the Darley Debutante Stakes (gr. I) and the Sorrento Stakes (gr. III).
Madcap Escapade’s youngest foals are an Unbridled’s Song yearling filly and a Malibu Moon colt born this year.
Bred in Kentucky by Needham/Betz Thoroughbreds and James Blackburn, Madcap Escapade was out of the stakes-winning Saratoga Six mare Sassy Pants and was a half sister to two stakes winners including grade I winner Dubai Escapade.