Yet to start in the first four months of the 2025 season, Lael Stable's She Feels Pretty made her season debut on Kentucky Oaks (G1) day, winning the Modesty Stakes (G3T) at Churchill Downs by 2 1/4 lengths.
The filly who had won back-to-back grade 1s in 2024 had returned to top form for trainer Cherie DeVaux. A month later, she won the New York Stakes (G1T) and followed that effort up with a hard-fought second in the Diana Stakes (G1T), losing only by a head to Excellent Truth. She Feels Pretty went on to win the E. P. Taylor Stakes (G1T) at Woodbine, her last prep before the long-awaited Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf (G1T) at Del Mar.
She Feels Pretty made her move around the final turn under John Velazquez in the Filly and Mare Turf, drawing clear in the stretch and showing the way into the last sixteenth of a mile, only to get run down by Peter Brant's European invader Gezora, who beat her by half a length.
"Her effort in the Breeders' Cup was tremendous," DeVaux said. "She showed her class, her heart, and her consistency on the biggest stage, and I was very proud of how she represented herself and our barn."
Despite a Breeders' Cup loss, the daughter of Karakontie was named Eclipse champion turf female, becoming the first Eclipse Award winner trained by DeVaux, and earning Roy and Gretchen Jackson's Lael Stables their second Eclipse Award, having been named outstanding owner in 2006.
The Jacksons are best known for their late 2006 Kentucky Derby (G1) winner Barbaro.
"At our age, it's great to have something like this; it keeps us younger. We've really enjoyed it," Roy Jackson said. "I think Barbaro will always be our number one, but she is right up there with the good horses we've owned and enjoyed.
"All along, at 2, 3, 4, she's had a great streak of putting together some great races," Jackson added. "We couldn't be more thrilled."
She Feels Pretty has won a grade 1 race each year from age 2-4, and has racked up earnings of $2,550,592, compiling a record of 8-3-2 from 13 career starts.
DeVaux, a former longtime assistant to trainer Chad Brown, has been around her fair share of talented fillies, including Lady Eli, Rushing Fall, and, under her own care, Shotgun Hottie and Vahva, among others.
"She Feels Pretty means a great deal to me professionally," DeVaux said. "She's an incredibly special filly and has been a defining horse for our program. While statistics and earnings matter, what I enjoy most is the gift she has been to her owners, the Jacksons. She's given them unforgettable moments, and that's always the most rewarding part of this job."
Lael Stables purchased the filly as a yearling at the 2022 Keeneland September Yearling Sale for $240,000 from the Stone Farm consignment. She was bred in Kentucky by Payson Stud and is out of the More Than Ready mare Summer Sweet, who was sold in foal to Not This Time at last year's Fasig-Tipton's The November Sale for $3 million to Hugo Lascelles. Lascelles also purchased her weanling half sister by Justify for $800,000 at the sale.
Plans call for She Feels Pretty to return to the track in 2026 for a 5-year-old campaign.
"She is back in training now in Ocala, and we're very excited about what lies ahead," DeVaux said. "The intention is absolutely to have her back in 2026 with the Breeders' Cup as a long-term goal, and hopefully the opportunity to avenge that loss."
