Strawberry Reason, dam of champion Vindication, was found dead in her pasture June 29 at Arthur B. Hancock III’s Stone Farm near Paris, Ky. The 16-year-old mare, bred and owned by Virginia Kraft Payson, died from head injuries.
According to Anna Colombo, who manages Payson Stud near Lexington, it remains unknown how Strawberry Reason suffered the injury. Strawberry Reason was in foal to A.P. Indy, whose sire, Seattle Slew, sired Vindication.
Strawberry Reason’s death came 10 days before the death of Vindication, who stood at John Sikura’s Hill ‘n’ Dale Farms near Lexington.
A graded stakes winner, Strawberry Reason produced grade III winner Scipion (by A.P. Indy) and stakes-placed runners Blackberry Road and True Reason. Six of her eight foals of racing age are winners.
Vindication sold for $2.15 million to Satish and Anne Sanan’s Padua Stables at the 2001 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga yearling sale. Taylor Made Sales Agency consigned as agent.
Racing for Padua, Vindication was voted divisional champion after winning the 2002 Bessemer Trust Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (gr. I) in what was his sole year of racing. He entered stud in 2004 and is represented by four stakes winners.
Scipion also commanded big bucks as a Saratoga yearling, selling for $1.9 million to trainer Patrick Biancone in 2003. His big win came in the Risen Star Stakes (gr. III) at 3. Scipion stands at Murmur Farm near Darlington, Md.
Another of Strawberry Reason’s offspring, Queenie Cat (by Storm Cat), sold for $1.7 million at the 2005 Keeneland September yearling sale. She went unraced. Queenie Cat produced a Distorted Humor filly this year for Hill ‘n’ Dale Equine Holdings and Racehorse Management.
Strawberry Reason won four of 17 races and earned $153,226 for Virginia Kraft Payson. Trained by Roger Attfield, she won the 1995 Martha Washington Stakes (gr. III) and was stakes-placed three times.
Strawberry Reason also is the dam of an A.P. Indy yearling filly and a 2008 Unbridled's Song filly.
