Scarlett Lady Retired

Savabeel’s dual Gr.1 winning daughter Scarlett Lady has been retired.

Having pulled up sore from the Gr.1 BMW Stakes last weekend, trainer Graeme Rogerson and owner Max Whitby have elected to call time on Scarlet Lady’s black-type racing career.

“We’ve got all the X-rays and there are a few issues including some arthritis,” Whitby said. “It isn’t anything to do with the injury she had in the spring. If it was another horse you might keep racing her but you can’t do that at her level. It’s sad but it’s over.”

Hailed by Rogerson as one of the best he trained, Scarlett Lady burst onto the racing scene on March 12th of 2011.

A six strong sequence of wins followed this successful 1400m Ellerslie outing, with black-type reward following in the Listed Breeders’ Stakes (2000m), the Gr.3 Travis Stakes (2000m), the Gr.3 Doomben Roses (2020m) and ultimately in the Gr.1 Queensland Oaks (2400m).

The sequence would see her posted as an early favourite for the Caulfield and Melbourne Cups, but unfortunately injury put paid to these plans eventuating.

The Stephen Luey and WS bred-mare returned in dominant fashion this campaign, however, winning the Listed Wairarapa Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes (1600m) before returning to Ellerslie to take the Gr.1 New Zealand Stakes (2000m) nearly a year to the day that she first showed up there.

Scarlett Lady – who was a $25,000 purchase at the 2009 Premier Yearling Sale, retires to stud with 8 wins from 16 outings and with NZ$821,126 in the coiffeurs.