Grade I winner Stacelita, an Eclipse Award finalist for 2011 champion female turf runner, has been retired from racing and booked to Smart Strike.
A French-bred, Stacelita made four starts in the United States last year. Campaigned by Martin Schwartz, she captured the Beverly D. Stakes (gr. IT) at Arlington Park and the Flower Bowl Invitational Stakes (gr. IT) at Belmont Park, and ran third against males in the United Nations Stakes (gr. IT) at Monmouth Park. In what was her final start, she finished 10th as the favorite in the Emirates Airline Breeders Cup Filly & Mare Turf (gr. IT) at Churchill Downs Nov. 4.
Stacelita was a French champion at 3 in 2009. She captured three group I stakes including the Prix de Diane (Fr-I, French Oaks). She went into that year’s Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe (Fr-I) unbeaten in six starts but finished seventh to winner Sea The Stars. At 4, Stacelita won two group events including the Darley Prix Jean Romanet (Fr-I).
Schwartz bought an interest in Stacelita from her breeder, Jean Pierre Joseph Dubois, in May 2009. He bought out his partner after 2010.
Following the Breeders’ Cup, Japanese breeder/owner Teruya Yoshida privately purchased Stacelita from Schwartz.
Stacelita (Monsun—Soignee, by Dashing Blade) was retired with a record of 10-2-2 from 18 starts and earnings of $2,371,241. She was trained the latter part of her career by Chad Brown.
Six-year-old Stacelita is boarded at Frank and Mattie Justice’s Dell Ridge Farm near Lexington. Smart Strike, who finished second on the 2011 leading sires’ list, stands at William S. Farish’s Lane’s End Farm near Versailles, Ky. His 2012 fee is $85,000.