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Hollywood Story, Dam of Honor A. P., Dies at 21

The multiple grade 1 winner died of natural causes June 14 at Starwood Farm.

Hollywood Story and her 2020 Tapit filly at Starwood Farm

Hollywood Story and her 2020 Tapit filly at Starwood Farm

Anne M. Eberhardt

Grade 1 winner and producer Hollywood Story died peacefully of natural causes June 13 at owner George Krikorian's Starwood Farm, Krikorian said June 22. She was 21.

"She meant a lot to my program; she was really a big part of everything that we've accomplished over the years," Krikorian said. 

Hollywood Story, a daughter of Wild Rush—Wife for Life, by Dynaformer, was purchased in 2002 for $130,000 by Donato Lanni from breeder Vinery at The July Sale, Fasig-Tipton's Kentucky sale of selected yearlings. Racing through four seasons for Krikorian and trainer John Shirreffs, she collected nearly $1.2 million in earnings. The only start of her 27-race career not made in graded stakes company was her debut in a maiden special weight.

"Hollywood Story was determined. She was very strong, and she had a tremendous will," Shirreffs told BloodHorse in 2020.

Hollywood Story at Starwood Farm near Versailles, Ky., on June 30, 2020 Starwood Farm in Versailles, KY.
Photo: Anne M. Eberhardt
Hollywood Story in 2020 at Starwood Farm

Making five starts as a 2-year-old, four in graded stakes, Hollywood Story scored her first victory in her final start that season, rallying from last for a 2 3/4-length win in the 2003 Hollywood Starlet Stakes (G1). 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.

"As a racehorse, she was incredible," Krikorian recalled.

Hollywood Story's most accomplished foal to date is Honor A. P. , the 2020 Runhappy Santa Anita Derby (G1) winner who finished fourth in that year's Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1). Now standing alongside his sire Honor Code at Lane's End, Honor A. P. was the highest-priced offspring from the stallion's first crop when he sold in 2018 to CRK Stable for $850,000 at The Saratoga Sale, Fasig-Tipton's selected yearling sale in Saratoga Springs, N.Y. 

Hollywood Story produced seven winners from eight starters, four of which 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 in the Iroquois Stakes (G3); and Honor A. P. made himself known as a major 3-year-old contender.

"All her foals were beautiful and they sold for a lot of money," Krikorian said. "She's just been a big part of our operation and we're going to miss her."

Hollywood Story's last two foals, an unraced 3-year-old Curlin  filly named Hollywood Wife and an unraced 2-year-old Tapit  filly named Hollywood Insider, have been retained by Krikorian and are currently at Starwood. Hollywood Wife is in foal to Authentic , according to Starwood manager Tony Burton, while plans are pending for Hollywood Insider, who may return to training or be bred next year.

Hollywood Story at Starwood Farm near Versailles, Ky., on June 30, 2020 Starwood Farm in Versailles, KY.
Photo: Anne M. Eberhardt

Krikorian also lost the multiple grade 1-winning Dynaformer mare Starrer in 2021.

"She was a couple years older than Hollywood Story; we lost her last fall," he said. "She was multiple grade 1-winning mare, she was a tremendous horse. My farm Starwood is named after those two horses."

Bred by Wind Hill Farm out of the Relaunch mare To the Hunt, Starrer was a $35,000 purchase, also selected by Lanni, in 1999 at The October Sale, Fasig-Tipton's Kentucky fall yearling sale from the consignment of Mr. and Mrs. William Wofford, agents. She won the Santa Maria Handicap (G1) and Santa Margarita Invitational Handicap (G1) in 2003 along with three other graded stakes through a four-year campaign, initially trained by David Hofmans, then by Shirreffs. Her progeny include the grade 3-placed Paynter mare Movie Moment and the stakes-placed Street Cry mare Star Act.