(2015 chestnut mare by English Channel out of Floating Island, by AP Indy)
Mad Grace raced 41 times from 3YO through 7YO, winning 9 races and placing another 16 times, for total earnings of $177,517. She was a maiden special weight winner at a mile on turf and an allowance winner at 7 furlongs on dirt for Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen, then went on to score additional victories at 1-1/16 miles on dirt, a mile on turf, 1-3/8 miles on turf, a mile on dirt, and 7-1/2 furlongs on turf. She also placed in a pair of non-black type stakes races at Rillito sprinting 5-1/2 furlongs and 6-1/2 furlongs on dirt. Her class, consistency and longevity are a testament to her late sire, the Eclipse Champion and leading turf stallion English Channel.
Mad Grace’s surface and distance versatility might be surprising for an offspring of English Channel, but as a half-sister to the multiple Grade 3 winner on dirt Hence, out of a well-bred daughter of A.P. Indy, there is plenty to explain how she could be equally adept on both surfaces and across a range of distances.
In addition to Hence (winner of the G3 Sunland Derby and G3 Iowa Derby), Mad Grace’s other siblings include the black-type placed Conquest Stormy, the promising 3YO of 2022 Bodock, and Ani La, the dam of stakes winners Inconclusive and Hard To Figure (at 2 in 2022 for Bob Baffert). Mad Grace’s dam, Floating Island, is a half-sister to multiple Graded winner Pico Teneriffe, the dam of multiple champion Marchfield and of stakes winner Congor Bay and granddam of stakes winners Sushi Empire and Virginia Beach. Floating Island’s other siblings include Group 3 winner Salmon Ladder, stakes winner Capote’s Prospect, and Musical Minister, the dam of Grade 2 winner Minister Eric and granddam of multiple Grade 1 winner Devil May Care and multiple Grade 2 winner Regal Ransom. Mad Grace’s 3rd dam, Aladancer, is the ancestress of no fewer than 36 additional black-type winners beyond those already named above.
Wasabi claimed Mad Grace towards the end of her racetrack career with an eye toward her joining the broodmare band, and she is due to deliver her first foal in 2024, by G1 Breeders’ Cup Sprint winner Aloha West.
Mad Grace wins at Tampa over 7 furlongs on dirt
Mad Grace goes wire-to-wire at Tampa over 1-3/8 miles on turf