(Chart, Equibase)
The Thoroughbred Corp.'s Spain became North America's all-time leading female by earnings when she won Friday's Louisville Breeders' Cup Handicap (gr. II) at Churchill Downs.With her $207,204 winner's purse added to her pre-race bankroll of $3,097,040, Spain has total earnings of $3,304,244 and surpassed Serena's Song as the highest-earning race mare in North America. Spain is trained by D. Wayne Lukas, who also trained Serena's Song to set an earnings mark of $3,283,388.Ridden by Jerry Bailey, Spain was joined by Forest Secrets and Maltese Superb at the front of the field in the early going of the 1 1/16-mile main track race. Forest Secrets led into the second turn as the three front-runners set fractions of :23 4/5, :48 1/5, 1:12 3/5 and 1:37 2/5 for the mile. Spain assumed the lead into the stretch and drew off to defeat Mystic Lady, also a daughter of Thunder Gulch. De Bertie was well back in third.Spain paid $8.00, $4.00, and $3.40 and Mystic Lady was worth $4.00 and $3.20. De Bertie returned $3.80.Bred in Kentucky by her owner, Spain has won eight of 33 career starts, with 15 placings."These records are always up for grabs," Lukas said of the feats by Serena's Song and Spain\. "I am very happy to have trained both. I have a soft spot for both of them."