Serena's Song (KY)

Biography

A winner of 17 graded stakes and the 1995 Eclipse Award winner for Champion 3-Year-Old Filly, Serena’s Song was bred in Kentucky by Dr. Howard Baker and purchased for $150,000 as a yearling Bob and Beverly Lewis.

Trained by Hall of Famer D. Wayne Lukas, Serena’s Song broke her maiden in her third career start on June 25, 1994, at Hollywood Park. She won the Grade 2 Landaluce Stakes in her subsequent start and earned her first Garde 1 that October in the Oak Leaf Stakes at Santa Anita.

Shipped to Churchill Downs for the Breeders’ Cup, Serena’s Song delivered an outstanding effort, but she lost by a head to the undefeated Flanders in the Juvenile Fillies. In her final start of the year, Serena’s Song collected her second Grade 1 of the campaign in the Hollywood Starlet Stakes.

Serena’s Song became a true standout as a sophomore in 1995. She began the year with five consecutive victories: the Santa Ynez Breeders’ Cup Stakes (Grade 3), Las Virgenes Stakes (Grade 1), Santa Anita Oaks (Grade 1), and Jim Beam Stakes (Grade 2). Her victory over colts in the Jim Beam prompted Lukas to give Serena’s Song a shot at the Kentucky Derby, but she finished 16th.

Serena’s Song quickly rebounded from the Derby, winning the Black-Eyed Susan Stakes (Grade 2), Mother Goose Stakes (Grade 1), Haskell Invitational (Grade 1), Gazelle Handicap (Grade 1), and Beldame Stakes (Grade 1). With her eight grade stakes wins, Serena’s Song was voted Champion 3-Year-Old Filly.

As a 4-year-old in 1996, Serena’s Song once again thrived against top competition. She began the year with back-to-back Grade 1 victories in the Santa Monica and Santa Maria handicaps and later added wins in the Pimlico Distaff Handicap (Grade 3), Fleur de Lis Handicap (Grade 3), and Hempstead Handicap (Grade 1). Serena's Song was retired after finishing second in her final four races, all of which were graded events, including the Whitney and Breeders' Cup Distaff.

Serena’s Song retired with a record of 18-11-3 from 38 starts. Eleven of her 17 graded wins were Grade 1s and her earnings of $3,283,388 were a record for an American filly or mare at the time.

Achievements

Eclipse Award Champion 3-Year-Old Filly — 1995

Notable

Won the Hollywood Starlet Stakes — 1994
Won the Landaluce Stakes — 1994
Won the Oak Leaf Stakes — 1994
Won the Beldame Stakes — 1995
Won the Black-Eyed Susan Stakes — 1995
Won the Gazelle Handicap — 1995
Won the Haskell Invitational Handicap — 1995
Won the Jim Beam Stakes — 1995
Won the Las Virgenes Stakes — 1995
Won the Mother Goose Stakes — 1995
Won the Santa Anita Oaks — 1995
Won the Santa Ynez Breeders’ Cup Stakes — 1995
Won the Fleur de Lis Handicap — 1996
Won the Hempstead Handicap — 1996
Won the Pimlico Distaff Handicap — 1996
Won the Santa Maria Handicap — 1996
Won the Santa Monica Handicap — 1996

Horse Profile for Serena's Song | Equibase is Your Official Source for Thoroughbred Racing Information