A Kiss for Luck and Silver Valley, both stakes winners and stakes producers, have been euthanized at Christine Hansen’s Montessori Farm near Lexington.
“Both of them were euthanized at a time when the infirmities of old age had diminished their quality of life to a point where I believed this would be the kindest thing to do,” Hansen said.
A Kiss for Luck, who was put down in January at age 31, was voted California champion 2-year-old filly of 1981. Two years later, she scored the biggest win of her career when she captured the Vanity Handicap (gr. I) at Hollywood Park and ran second to subsequent champion older female Ambassador of Luck in the Maskette Stakes (gr. I) at Belmont Park.
A Kiss for Luck, who made all but her first two starts for owner Craig B. Singer, won or placed in 22 of 37 races and earned $588,896. She was trained for Singer by Jerry Fanning.
As a young broodmare, A Kiss for Luck was highly in demand. She sold for $1.45 million to George Aubin’s Wichita Equine at the 1985 Keeneland November breeding stock sale while in foal to Nureyev. She was consigned by Hill ‘n’ Dale Sales Agency.
A Kiss for Luck produced 11 named foals, all of which were winners, including stakes winner Kissin My Friends (by Crafty Friend) and Japanese group winner Golden Cherry (by Crafty Prospector). Three of A Kiss for Luck’s daughters are stakes producers, including Kiss for Six, dam of grade I winner Alphabet Kisses (by Alphabet Soup).
A Kiss for Luck (Reflected Glory--Painted Flag, by Dusty Canyon) was bred by Rancho Jonata.
Silver Valley, a two-time stakes winner, is best known as being the dam of prominent sire Silver Deputy. A stakes-winning son of Deputy Minister, Silver Deputy is represented as a sire by 81 stakes winners, including 2010 leading 3-year-old filly Bickersons. He is pensioned from stallion duty.
Lifetime, Silver Valley produced 11 named foals, eight of which were winners, including stakes winner Buzzy’s Gold (by Touch Gold). Silver Valley is the granddam of two-time Japan Cup Dirt (Jpn-I) winner Kane Hekili.
Bred in Florida by A.F. Tornetta, Silver Valley (Mr. Prospector--Seven Valleys, by Road At Sea) raced first for Gladwyne Stable and then for Elkcam Stable, winning eight of 20 races and earning $105,731. Her stakes wins, in the 1983 Starlight Stakes and Tosmah Handicap, came at Meadowlands in her last two starts while trained by Ben Perkins Jr.
Silver Valley was euthanized at age 30 in October 2009.