Clarkland Farm's Leslie's Lady, the 2016 Kentucky Broodmare of the Year, delivered a filly by 2015 Triple Crown winner American Pharoah April 25.
The filly, which arrived around 10:30 p.m., is from the second crop of the 2015 Triple Crown winner. Leslie's Lady is a 22-year-old mare by Tricky Creek—Crystal Lady, by Stop the Music. She was bred by David E. Hager II.
"She's a very nice filly, especially for being out of an older mare," said Fred Mitchell of Clarkland Farm. "We're very pleased with her.
Mitchell operates Clarkland Farm, north of Lexington, with his wife, Nancy, and stepdaughter Marty Buckner.
"Dr. Luke Fallon (of Hagyard Equine Medical Institute) said she was a very nice filly. You don't want to get too excited. We're just relieved that she's here, and she's nice, and the mare's in good shape."
The filly is a half sister to grade 1 winner and top sire Into Mischief , four-time champion and 11-time grade 1 winner Beholder, and Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf (G1T) winner Mendelssohn. The latter, a son of the late Scat Daddy, won the March 31 UAE Derby Sponsored by Saeed & Mohammed al Naboodah Group (G2), and is a leading candidate for the May 5 Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1).
Mendelssohn was the highest-priced yearling in North America in 2016, selling to M.V. Magnier for $3 million during the Keeneland September yearling sale. He has earned $1,961,137 for the Coolmore contingent of Michael Tabor, Susan Magnier, and Derrick Smith.
Leslie's Lady has a yearling colt by Medaglia d'Oro that arrived April 4, 2017.
"He's long and lean ... and a racing machine," Mitchell said. "We'll enter him in the (Keeneland) September sale. He's a Medaglia d'Oro and they don't mature until late, and he just needs to mature a little more."
The Clarkland team is taking a wait-and-see approach to Leslie's Lady and whether they will breed her this spring.
"It's too early to tell," Mitchell said. "She's in phenomenal shape. She looks as good now as she's ever looked in her life. We'll palpate her around eight or nine days, and if she's toned up good, we might consider breeding her, if she stays in good shape. It's all up to her."
