Printing Press, dam of multiple grade I winner Lite Light, was euthanized earlier in the month because of complications from the infirmities of old age. The 28-year-old daughter of In Reality had been pensioned at Kathryn M. West’s Waterford – Millford Farm near Midway, Ky.
“The cold weather was too much for her,” said West’s son, Robert.
Lite Light, by Majestic Light, was one of the top fillies of her crop at 2 and 3. As a juvenile in 1990, she won the Oak Leaf (gr. II) and Sorrento (gr. III) Stakes. The following year, she captured the Coaching Club American Oaks (gr. I), Kentucky Oaks (gr. I), Santa Anita Oaks (gr. I), Las Virgenes Stakes (gr. I), and Fantasy Stakes (gr. II). Her CCA Oaks triumph at Belmont Park for the Burrell family's Oaktown Stable came by seven lengths over the previous year’s champion 2-year-old filly, Meadow Star. A month before the race, the two had battled it out in the Mother Goose Stakes (gr. I) at Belmont, with Meadow Star emerging a nose winner.
Despite winning four grade I stakes that year, Canadian-bred Dance Smartly, who won the Breeders’ Cup Distaff (gr. I) and was unbeaten that year, was voted champion 3-year-old filly. Lite Light retired two years later with earnings of $1,231,596.
As a broodmare, Lite Light produced English group II winner Saddad (by Gone West), Japanese group winner Gaily Egret (by Storm Cat), and New York stakes winner Nite Light (by Thunder Gulch ).
Printing Press was bought by Kathryn West’s husband, the late R. Smiser West, and trainer MacKenzie Miller, at a paddock sale in New York. Trained by Miller, Printing Press had raced as a homebred for Paul Mellon’s Rokeby Stable. After buying her, West and Miller retired Printing Press, who had placed in one of four races, and had her bred in 1985.
Printing Press, who was produced from the Key to the Mint mare Wealth of Nations, produced 13 named foals, eight of which were winners. Lite Light was her sole stakes winner, but two other daughters, Redeemer and Music Row, also became stakes producers.
