Valid Victress, dam of Eclipse Award winner Perfect Sting, died June 16 from foaling complications. The foal, by Smart Strike, also died. An 18-year-old daughter of Valid Appeal, Valid Victress was owned by Frank Stronach and kept at his Adena Springs Kentucky near Paris.
Perfect Sting, a Stronach homebred, capped her career by being voted 2000 champion turf female after winning the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf (gr. IT) in course-record-equaling time. The daughter of Red Ransom also scored grade I turf triumphs in the 1999 Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup Stakes and Garden City Breeders’ Cup Handicap, and earned of $2,202,042. She is a broodmare for Stronach and produced a Smart Strike filly this year.
Valid Victress, who was bred in Florida by the Estate of John H. Hartigan, won the 1993 Dramatic Joy Stakes at Golden Gate Fields for Curt and Lila Lanning. Stronach bought her in foal to El Gran Senor for $195,000 at the 1994 Keeneland November breeding stock sale from Ashford Stud, agent.
Valid Victress produced four named foals, all four of which have won. Her youngest offspring is an El Pradoyearling colt.