Goulash, dam of two-time champion Ashado and two other graded stakes winners, was euthanized Sept. 30 because of founder. The 16-year-old daughter of Mari’s Book was owned by Aaron and Marie Jones and boarded at the Taylor family’s Taylor Made Farm near Nicholasville, Ky.
It earlier was reported that chronic arthritis caused Goulash’s left front ankle to deteriorate, so the joint was surgically fused in a procedure known as an arthrodesis. She developed laminitis in her right front foot. She wasn’t bred this past spring because of her fragile health.
Ashado, by Saint Ballado, won a dozen of 21 starts. When she retired, her career earnings of $3,931,440 were just short of Azeri’s $4,079,820 all-time record for a female in North America. Trained by Todd Pletcher, Ashado raced for the partnership of Jack and Laurie Wolf's Starlight Stables, Paul Saylor, and Johns Martin.
Ashado was voted 2004 champion 3-year-old filly and 2005 champion older female. A grade I winner from 2 through 4, she won seven grade I stakes, including the Breeders’ Cup Distaff Presented by Nextel at 3. She ran third in the Distaff the following year.
Ashado commanded a world-record price of $9 million for a broodmare or broodmare prospect when bought by John Ferguson Bloodstock at the 2005 Keeneland November breeding stock sale from Taylor Made Sales Agency, agent.
As a broodmare for Sheikh Mohammed’s Darley, Ashado produced a 2-year-old Storm Cat colt named Star Cat and a 2009 Street Cry colt.
Goulash’s two other stakes winners, Sunriver and Saint Stephen, are full brothers to Ashado. Sunriver, whose big win came in the 2007 Hollywood Turf Cup Stakes (gr. IT), died Aug. 25 at age six. He had completed his second year as a stallion at Empire Stud near Hudson, N.Y.
Saint Stephen, who won the 2006 Native Diver Handicap (gr. III) at Hollywood Park, stands at Bar None Ranches near Dewinton, Alberta, Canada.
Goulash initially raced for her breeder, Haras Santa Maria de Araras, before she was claimed for $50,000 by trainer Ted West for himself and Scott Guenther. For the two men, the Florida-bred mare won the 1996 Las Ninas Stakes at Fairplex Park. She retired with six wins from a dozen starts and earnings of $162,975.
Taylor Made handled the consigning and buying of Goulash when she went through the ring at the 1998 Keeneland January horses of all ages sale. Taylor Made consigned Goulash as agent for West and Guenther’s Desparado Stables and purchased Goulash for $100,000 for the Joneses in the name of Courtesy Bloodstock.
Goulash produced 10 consecutive foals from 1999 through 2008. Her nine foals of racing age also include stakes-placed runners Ballado’s Halo (by Saint Ballado) and Storm Creek Rising (by Storm Creek).
Goulash’s youngest foal is an Unbridled's Song yearling colt that sold for $925,000 to Demi O’Byrne at the Keeneland September sale.
Goulash, out of the Blushing Groom mare Wise Bride, will be buried at Taylor Made.