Beloved champion mare Tepin, a multiple grade 1 winner in North America and conqueror of Royal Ascot, has died.
Tepin, owned by Robert Masterson and trained by Hall of Famer Mark Casse throughout her racing career, sold to Coolmore's M.V. Magnier for $8 million while in foal to Curlin at the 2017 The November Sale, Fasig-Tipton's select breeding stock sale. The daughter of Bernstein had birthed four foals overseas, including Oct. 5 Prix de Royallieu (G1) victress Grateful (Galileo) and the promising 2-year-old Delacroix (Dubawi). Both runners are owned by Coolmore.
"We are very sad to confirm that Tepin did pass away," said Adrian Wallace of Coolmore America. "She was a wonderful, wonderful racemare for Bob Masterson and Mark Casse. She was a mare of a generation. Unfortunately, we're very sad to have lost her but hopefully her legacy will live on through her offspring—she has a very impressive 2-year-old and her 3-year-old, Grateful. I think that's a very fitting name for a filly who was as good as Tepin was."
Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2022, Tepin, a daughter of Bernstein out of the Stravinsky mare Life Happened, posted a record of 13-5-1 from 23 starts with earnings of $4,437,918 in her career from 2013-16. Eleven of her victories were at the graded/group level. The Eclipse Award winner for champion turf female in 2015 and 2016, Tepin was bred in Kentucky by Machmer Hall and purchased by Masterson at the 2012 The Saratoga Sale, Fasig-Tipton's select yearling sale, for $140,000.
During her first championship season in 2015, Tepin won four graded stakes, including the Breeders' Cup Mile (G1T). She repeated as champion turf female the following year on the strength of a campaign that included top-level wins in the Jenny Wiley Stakes (G1T), Woodbine Mile (G1T), and an overseas victory in the Queen Anne Stakes (G1) at Royal Ascot in England.
Shortly after Grateful scored her first career group 1 in the Prix de Royallieu at ParisLongchamp, Ballydoyle trainer Aidan O'Brien disclosed that it would likely be the final race for the filly.
"Her mum sadly passed away," O'Brien told Racing Post following the Prix de Royallieu. "So this filly is priceless as a broodmare by Galileo. And she's a queen to look at."
Four wins for Aidan O'Brien at @paris_longchamp! A patient ride from @CSoumillon has Grateful landing the Group 1 Qatar Prix de Royallieu... pic.twitter.com/1om4SKt1kB
— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) October 5, 2024
The Prix de Royallieu was the third win in seven outings for Grateful, who had become a graded stakes winner earlier this season in Fairyhouse's Stanerra Stakes (G3).
With Grateful's retirement, Delacroix is the last of Tepin's offspring still racing. The juvenile caused a stir with his second-out victory in August at the Curragh, which he backed up with a solid runner-up effort in the Sept. 14 Champions Juvenile Stakes (G2) at Leopardstown.
