Hall of Famer, champion, and blue hen mare Serena's Song died March 11 at 34 due to the infirmities of old age, Denali Stud announced. The 11-time grade 1 winner was campaigned by eventual Eclipse Award of Merit owners Bob and Beverly Lewis and trained by the late Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas.
"'Serena' had such a profound impact on many people's lives, especially the Lewis family, our family, and the staff who worked with her during her time at Denali," Denali's Conrad Bandoroff said. "We are incredibly blessed and honored that Bob and Beverly, and eventually their son Jeff chose to keep her with us and trust us with her care for three decades. She is and always will be the Queen of Denali Stud. I would like to think that Wayne had a stall ready for her up there, and that he, Bob, and Beverly welcomed her with open arms."
Serena's Song had a long and illustrious life. Bred in Kentucky by Dr. Howard Baker out of the Northfields mare Imagining, she sold as a yearling at the 1993 Keeneland July Sale for $150,000 to the Lewises who were purchasing yearlings to put into training with Lukas.
Over the course of her racing career from 1994 to 1996, Serena's Song won 17 graded stakes, including 11 grade 1 races. The runner-up in the 1994 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) by a head, the daughter of Rahy went on to collect six grade 1 victories during her sophomore campaign and was named 1995 Eclipse champion 3-year-old filly. That year she raced against colts in the Kentucky Derby (G1), finishing 16th in a rare off-the-board performance, and in the Haskell Invitational Handicap (G1), where she became the first filly to win the race. As a 4-year-old she added three more grade 1 wins to her record and was runner-up in the 1996 Breeders' Cup Distaff (G1). She retired with a record of 18-11-3 in 38 starts and more than $3.2 million in earnings, the highest of any filly ever recorded at the time, and was inducted into the Racing Hall of Fame in 2002.
Serena's Song arrived at Denali Stud Dec. 9, 1996, and her success would only continue in her next career as a broodmare. Her first foal, Serena's Tune (by Mr. Prospector), won multiple stakes races and was a graded stakes producer in her own right—her stakes-winning daughter Serena's Cat is the dam of 2015 champion older horse Honor Code. Serena's Song's second foal, Sophisticat, won the 2002 Coronation Stakes (G1) at Ascot Racecourse. Serena's Song produced three other graded stakes winners in Grand Reward, Harlington, and Schramsberg, and multiple seven-figure yearlings.
In 2015 she was retired from breeding and enjoyed the rest of her days just being a horse. She helped raise thousands of dollars for Thoroughbred charities through donations of her halters. She made many friends, both horses and human, and peppermints took up a significant portion of her diet. She also had many old friends that came to visit her often during retirement. All accomplishments on paper aside, her greatest gifts were her strong spirit and honest demeanor. She commanded respect simply with her presence.
"I very rarely can't find the words, but that is where I find myself," Denali founder Craig Bandoroff said. "There are times in our lives where the good Lord takes care of you. He did that when Bob and Beverly Lewis became our clients and again when Serena came into our lives. Some things can't be replaced. You just have to be thankful they came your way. Serena meant more to Denali than I can describe. We were just blessed to have her. Hopefully Bob, Beverly, and Serena are reunited."
Serena's Song will be laid to rest at Denali Stud, her lifelong home.
This press release has been edited for content and style by BloodHorse Staff.
