Bright Candles, dam of successful stallion Grand Slam, was euthanized March 13 because of complications from a ruptured uterine artery. Her Mr. Greeley colt was saved.
Owned by the Young family's Overbrook Farm, Bright Candles raced for the late Overbrook owner, William T. Young, and trainer D. Wayne Lukas. Bright Candles won the Santa Ysabel Stakes and Majorette Handicap and placed in seven added-money races, including the Kentucky (gr. I) and Santa Anita (gr. I) Oaks and the Las Virgenes Stakes (gr. I). She retired with five wins from 34 races and earnings of $405,091.
Grand Slam was one of four stakes performers out of Bright Candles. A son of Gone West, Grand Slam won the 1997 Moet Champagne Stakes (gr. I) and Futurity Stakes (gr. I) and ran second in the following year's Breeders' Cup Sprint (gr. I) in his last start. He stands for $35,000 at Ashford Stud near Versailles, Ky.
Bright Candles produced 11 named foals, nine of which were winners, including additional stakes winner Leestown (by Seattle Slew) and two stakes-placed runners. Her yearling is a full brother to Grand Slam.
Bred in Kentucky by Hermitage Farm and William S. Farish, Bright Candles (El Gran Senor--Christmas Bonus, by Key to the Mint) was 20.