Toussaud, 2002 Kentucky Broodmare of the Year for Khalid Abdullah’s Juddmonte Farms, was euthanized Jan. 5 because of declining health. The 20-year-old daughter of El Gran Senor had been pensioned the last two years. She was the dam of grade I winners Chester House, Empire Maker , Chiselling, and Honest Lady, plus grade II winner Decarchy.
“She was obviously a great broodmare but was an even more special character with a very unique personality,” according to a farm release. “Though amazingly stubborn at times, she was never seen to pin her ears or try to intentionally harm anyone or anything. She had a very kind yet powerfully strong and resilient nature that lives on in the competitive juices of offspring of Chester House, Empire Maker, Decarchy, and her daughter Honest Lady.”
A Kentucky-bred homebred for Juddmonte, Toussaud was one of the top turf females of 1993, winning the Gamely (gr. IT), American (gr. IIT), Wilshire (gr. IIT), and Autumn Days Handicaps in California. Against subsequent champion Flawlessly, she finished a neck behind her in a runner-up effort in the Matriarch Stakes (gr. IT). She was trained by Bobby Frankel.
Toussaud began her racing career in England, where she was a group winner and twice stakes-placed, once at the group level. She retired with seven wins and six placings from 15 races and earnings of $551,536.
As a broodmare, Toussaud didn’t waste any time making a name for herself while based at Juddmonte near Lexington. Chester House, her first foal, won the 2000 Arlington Million Stakes (gr. IT) and was the first of Toussaud’s millionaire runners. By Mr. Prospector, Chester House developed into an important sire before dying at the age of 8 in 2003. He ranked 11th on the 2008 leading sires list.
Empire Maker, Toussaud’s other millionaire, upset the 2003 Triple Crown bid of Funny Cide in winning the Belmont Stakes (gr. I). By Unbridled, he won two other grade I stakes and ran second in the Kentucky Derby (gr. I). He stands at Juddmonte and ranked eighth on the 2008 second-crop sires list.
Honest Lady, the sole female among Toussaud’s five stakes winners, has developed into an important producer for Juddmonte. Her three stakes winners include 2008 grade I sprint winner First Defence, who will enter stud this year at Juddmonte. Honest Lady, by Seattle Slew, scored her big win in the 2000 Santa Monica Handicap (gr. I).
Chiselling, by Woodman, scored his big win in the 2002 Secretariat Stakes (gr. IT). Decarchy, by Distant View, was a two-time graded winner.
For her career, Toussaud produced six winners from 10 foals of racing age. Her youngest foal, the 3-year-old filly Gateway (by A.P. Indy), is unraced.
Toussaud was produced from the graded stakes-winning In Reality mare Image of Reality.