Lucky Lucky Lucky, Top Racemare From the 1980s, Dead

Lucky Lucky Lucky, a grade I winner who set a Keeneland January sale record, was euthanized Aug. 25 because of complications from the infirmities of old age. The 24-year-old daughter of Chieftain had been pensioned several years at Sheikh Hamdan's Shadwell Farm near Lexington.

Lucky Lucky Lucky belonged to that special crop of fillies that included Althea, Life's Magic, and Miss Oceana. In her 22 starts over two years, Lucky Lucky Lucky won or placed in 15 stakes. Fourteen of them were graded, and seven of them were grade I.

Lucky Lucky Lucky beat Miss Oceana in her two grade I scores--the Matron Stakes at Belmont Park at two and the Kentucky Oaks at Churchill Downs at three. In the Alabama Stakes (gr. I) at Saratoga, she was caught at the wire by stablemate Life's Magic and lost by a head, with that year's Coaching Club American Oaks (gr. I) winner, Class Play, 15 1/2 lengths farther back. Against an older Princess Rooney, Lucky Lucky Lucky ran second to her in the Spinster Stakes (gr. I) at Keeneland.

Bred in Kentucky by Leslie Combs II's Spendthrift Farm, Lucky Lucky Lucky raced for Combs and Equites Stable. Trained by D. Wayne Lukas, she retired with six wins from 22 starts and earnings of $847,126.

Lucky Lucky Lucky's price of $3 million was a sale record for a broodmare at the 1986 Keeneland January horses of all ages sale. Shadwell bought her in foal to Northern Dancer from Spendthrift, agent.

Lucky Lucky Lucky, who was produced from the Raise a Native mare Just One More Time, failed to fulfill expectations as a broodmare. Only five of her dozen foals won, including Mashair, who was stakes-placed. Mashair and another of Lucky Lucky Lucky's daughters became stakes producers.