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Popular Eclipse Award champion Awesome Feather, winner of the 2010 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (gr. I), has been retired from racing to join the broodmare band of Frank Stronach's Adena Springs near Paris, Ky. Breeding plans have not yet been finalized.
The Florida-bred daughter of Awesome of Course —Precious Feather, by Gone West, began her career for trainer Stanley Gold and breeder Jacks or Better Farm. After scoring a 5 3/4-length victory in her career debut at Calder Casino & Race Course in 2010, she rolled through an unbeaten juvenile season with an additional score in Calder's J J'sdream Stakes, followed by a sweep of the three-race Florida Stallion Series for 2-year-old fillies at Calder.
Her 8 1/4-length triumph in the final leg, the My Dear Girl Stakes, made her the public's choice in the BC Juvenile Fillies at Churchill Downs. She rewarded her supporters with a handy 2 1/4-length victory to secure the Eclipse Award for champion 2-year-old filly of 2010.
Two days after her Breeders' Cup feat, Awesome Feather was purchased by Frank Stronach's Adena Springs for $2.3 million at the Fasig-Tipton November breeding stock sale from Hidden Brook, agent.
After recovering from a tendon injury, she returned in October 2011 with an easy win in an overnight stakes at Belmont Park for Stronach and trainer Chad Brown. That set her up for her next victory in the Gazelle Stakes (gr. I) at Aqueduct Racetrack.
Awesome Feather added two more stakes victories to her resume in 2012, including an emphatic 5 3/4-length win in the rich Sunshine Millions Distaff at Gulfstream Park. She also earned a 108 Beyer speed figure in her penultimate start, the Nasty Storm Stakes at Belmont, where she dominated by 11 1/4 lengths while posting a sparkling one mile in 1:33.47.
"Working for Bobby (Frankel) I was around several of the Stronach's best runners and Awesome Feather was right up there with the best of them," trainer Chad Brown said in a release. "She is a rare horse to overcome a tendon injury like she did and maintain top form. She is truly special."
A granddaughter of Adena Springs' top stallion Awesome Again , Awesome Feather retires with a record of 10 victories from 11 starts and earnings of $1,912,746. Her lone career loss came in this year's Breeders' Cup Ladies' Classic (gr. I), where she finished sixth to champion Royal Delta.
