Hall of Fame runner and 1995 champion older mare Inside Information died Oct. 14 at Claiborne Farm near Paris, Ky. from natural causes due to old age. She was 26.
Born at Claiborne in May of 1991, the daughter of Private Account—Pure Profit, by Key to the Mint, won 14 of her 17 career starts, including six grade 1 victories, and earned $1,641,806. She was named the 1995 Eclipse Award champion older mare and was inducted into the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame in 2008.
Bred and raced by Ogden Mills Phipps, Inside Information was conditioned by Hall of Fame trainer Shug McGaughey. She broke her maiden at first asking at Belmont Park in September of 1993. The following year, she won six of seven starts as a 3-year-old, including the Ashland Stakes (G1), Acorn Stakes (G1), and Bonnie Miss Stakes (G2).
However, it was her 1995 season that earned Inside Information year-end honors, as she posted victories in the Shuvee Handicap (G1), Ruffian Handicap (G1), Spinster Stakes (G1), Molly Pitcher Handicap (G2), and Monmouth Park Budweiser Breeders' Cup Handicap (G3). Her greatest triumph came in her final start when she was hand-ridden by Mike Smith to a 13 1/2-length victory in the Breeders' Cup Distaff (G1) against a field that included Heavenly Prize, Lakeway, and Serena's Song.
Following her career on the racetrack, where she only had three losses from 17 starts and never finished worse than third, she returned to Claiborne Farm upon retirement. As a broodmare, Inside Information produced Smuggler, the 2005 champion 3-year-old filly.
In 2009, the Shirley Jones Handicap (G2) was renamed the Inside Information Stakes (G2), a prominent graded stakes event run annually at Gulfstream Park.
Inside Information will be buried at Claiborne's Marchmont cemetery.
