The script couldn't have been written much better. A filly breaks her maiden in a grade 1 race. In another scene, she nearly goes down after clipping heels, gets back on her feet, and rallies to another win. She took her connections to the Breeders' Cup four times and also to the Kentucky Oaks (G1).
And now, at 19 and as a broodmare in Central Kentucky, Hollywood Story is also known as the dam of Runhappy Santa Anita Derby (G1) winner and Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1) hopeful Honor A. P.
Movie theater executive George Krikorian's Hollywood Story continues to play the role of leading lady at her owner's Starwood Farm--near Versailles, Ky., nestled where Woodford, Fayette, and Jessamine counties meet. The farm is the namesake of Hollywood Story and another grade 1 winner for Krikorian, Starrer, who is retired from broodmare duties at age 22.
Hollywood Story, a daughter of Wild Rush—Wife for Life, by Dynaformer, raced four seasons for Krikorian and trainer John Shirreffs. She was purchased in 2002 for $130,000 from breeder Vinery at the Fasig-Tipton Kentucky's July yearling sale and made nearly $1.2 million on the racetrack. The only start in her 27-race career not in graded stakes company was her debut in a maiden special weight.
"Donato Lanni, we've been friends for years, and he was just starting his career at that time (when Hollywood Story was bought),"
Krikorian said. "He pointed her out to me at the sale, and as soon as I saw her, I said, 'Whatever it takes, I'm buying this horse.' I bought her and just the way she moved; she was so correct, and she was all business. She's always been that way, and all of her foals have been the same way. It's just been remarkable.
"She ran four times in the Breeders' Cup; she broke her maiden in the Hollywood Starlet (G1) at Hollywood Park. She's had quite a career as a racehorse and as a broodmare."
Hollywood Story made five starts as a 2-year-old, four in graded stakes company, and scored her first victory in her final start that season, rallying from last for a 23⁄4-length victory in the 1 1/16-mile Hollywood Starlet. She won a graded stakes each year on the track, taking the Bayakoa Handicap (G2) at 3, the Hawthorne Handicap (G3) at 4, and the Vanity Invitational Handicap (G1) at 5. All four victories came at Hollywood Park, and her five grade 1 placings include the American Oaks Invitational (G1T) on turf.
Since retiring from the racetrack, Hollywood Story has produced seven winners from eight starters. Four of those horses have earned black-type. Her first foal, Hoorayforhollywood (by Storm Cat), placed in multiple stakes; Miss Hollywood (by Malibu Moon) won a black-type event at Gulfstream Park; Hollywood Star (by Malibu Moon) placed in the Saratoga Special Stakes Presented by Coors Light (G2) and the Iroquois Stakes (G3); and Honor A. P., who like the previous two is sired by an A.P. Indy son in Honor Code, has made himself known as a major 3-year-old contender this year.
Honor A. P. was an $850,000 purchase by C R K Stable in 2018 from the Hill 'n' Dale Sales Agency consignment to the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga select sale. Sent to Shirreffs, the dark bay colt broke his maiden in his second try at 2, debuted at 3 in the March 7 San Felipe Stakes (G2) with a runner-up finish to Authentic , then turned the tables in the June 6 Santa Anita Derby.
Starwood's farm manager Tony Burton said they knew they had a good horse when they took him to the sale and had been impressed with him since he was delivered.
"Honor A. P., I foaled him, and when he came out I said, 'My God, he's beautiful.' He was big and had a lot of chrome, and he never missed a beat. I don't even think he ever had a temperature. When we were prepping him, he did whatever you asked...He was just always very special. He was so kind," Burton said. "You could put him out in a field with 50 of them, and you would see him. That's his presence about him; it was always like that. The whole time we prepped him, he'd meet you at the door; he wasn't a mean colt. He had a lot of size to him, but he was just a very nice horse."
"Hollywood Story was determined. She was very strong, and she had a tremendous will," said Shirreffs. "Honor A. P. has obviously got a lot of talent, and he also is very strong."
Hollywood Story currently has a Tapit filly at her side, and her yearling daughter by Curlin also resides at Starwood. The mental sharpness she showed on the track has never left.
"The one thing with this mare is she's so sweet and smart," Burton said. "She's so intelligent, and every one of her foals is like that. They're easy. They're willing, pleasing horses. Everything, usually when you ask them they say, 'just show me what you want.' From there they give you everything, every day."
The full version of this story first appeared in the Aug. 1 edition of BloodHorse Magazine. To purchase a copy, please visit BloodHorse.com/Tablet or Shop.BloodHorse.com.
