Goodbye Halo (February 12, 1985 – August 23, 2014) was an American

Thoroughbred The Thoroughbred is a horse breed best known for its use in horse racing. Although the word ''thoroughbred'' is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thoroughbred breed. Thoroughbreds are c ...

racehorse Horse racing is an equestrian performance sport, typically involving two or more horses ridden by jockeys (or sometimes driven without riders) over a set distance for competition. It is one of the most ancient of all sports, as its basic pr ...

and

broodmare A mare is an adult female horse or other equine. In most cases, a mare is a female horse over the age of three, and a filly is a female horse three and younger. In Thoroughbred horse racing, a mare is defined as a female horse more than four ...

. A daughter of the noted sire

Halo Halo, halos or haloes usually refer to: * Halo (optical phenomenon) * Halo (religious iconography), a ring of light around the image of a head HALO, halo, halos or haloes may also refer to: Arts and entertainment Video games * ''Halo'' (franch ...

, she won 10 graded stakes races over a race career spanning from ages two to four. Following her racing career, she was sent to Japan for broodmare duty and most notably produced the sire .

Background

Goodbye Halo was a chestnut mare bred in Kentucky by Dr. William O. Reed. Reed was an equine surgeon who most notably performed surgery on Ruffian following her breakdown during her match race with

Foolish Pleasure Foolish Pleasure (March 23, 1972 – November 17, 1994) was an American bay Thoroughbred race horse who won the 1975 Kentucky Derby. Background Foolish Pleasure was a bay horse bred at Williston, Florida by Waldemar Farms, Inc. He was owned by J ...

. In addition to practicing veterinary medicine, Reed also bred racehorses at his Mare Haven Farm near

Lexington, Kentucky Lexington is a city in Kentucky, United States that is the county seat of Fayette County, Kentucky, Fayette County. By population, it is the List of cities in Kentucky, second-largest city in Kentucky and List of United States cities by popul ...

. Goodbye Halo was sired by

, a good turf runner who won the 1974

United Nations Handicap The United Nations Stakes is a Grade I American Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-olds and older run over a distance of one and three-eighth miles on the turf held annually in July at Monmouth Park Racetrack in Oceanport, New Jersey. The event ...

and three other stakes races. At stud at

Windfields Farm Windfields Farm was a six square kilometre (1,500 acre) Thoroughbred horse breeding farm that was founded by businessman E. P. Taylor in Oshawa, Ontario, Canada. Origin The first stable and breeding operation of E. P. Taylor originated w ...

in Maryland and later Stone Farm in Kentucky, Halo sired 62 stakes winners including

Sunday Silence Sunday Silence (March 25, 1986 – August 19, 2002) was an American-bred Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. In 1989, he won the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness Stakes but failed to complete the Triple Crown when he was defeated in the Belmont ...

Glorious Song {{Infobox racehorse , horsename = Glorious Song , image = , caption = , sire = Halo , grandsire = Hail To Reason , dam = Ballade , damsire = Herbager , sex = Filly , foaled = 1976 , country = Canada , colour = Bay , breeder = E. P. ...

Devil's Bag Devil's Bag (1981–2005) was an American champion Thoroughbred racehorse who was syndicated as a two-year-old for US$36 million, the highest price for any 2-year-old in racing history. Background Bred by Canadian E. P. Taylor at his Windfi ...

Saint Ballado Saint Ballado (1989-2002) was a Canadian-bred Thoroughbred race horse, best known as the sire of Horse of the Year Saint Liam and champion Ashado. Saint Ballado was the leading sire in North America of 2005. Background Saint Ballado was bred in ...

, Misty Gallore, and Coup de Folie. As a yearling, Goodbye Halo sold for $47,000 to Lion Crest Stable, acting as an agent.

Racing career

1987: two-year-old season

Goodbye Halo won her first race, a maiden special weight at

Belmont Park Belmont Park is a major thoroughbred horse racing facility in the northeastern United States, located in Elmont, New York, just east of the New York City limits. It was opened on May 4, 1905. It is operated by the non-profit New York Racin ...

on October 11, 1987, by eight lengths. Just six days later, her connections entered her in the

Frizette Stakes The Frizette Stakes is an American Thoroughbred horse race for two-year-old fillies raced annually at Belmont Park in October. It is currently a Grade I stakes race at a distance of one mile. The Frizette is the female counterpart of the Champag ...

, where she finished eighth. Despite that loss, she came back to win the Grade 1

Demoiselle Stakes The Demoiselle Stakes is a stakes race for thoroughbred horses open to two-year-old fillies who are willing to race the one and one-eighth miles on dirt. The Grade II event is run at Aqueduct Racetrack every November for a current purse of $250 ...

. Following her win in the Demoiselle, Goodbye Halo left the barn of her original trainer Jose Martin and was sent to the West Coast to join the barn of Charlie Whittingham. Goodbye Halo's connections opted to skip the

Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies The Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies is a -mile thoroughbred horse race on dirt (although the distance has varied, depending on the configuration of the host track) for two-year-old fillies run annually since 1984 at a different racetrack in the Uni ...

and send her to the

Hollywood Starlet Stakes The Starlet Stakes is a Grade I American Thoroughbred horse race for two-year-old fillies run over a distance distance of one and one sixteenth miles ( furlongs) on the dirt held annually in early December at Los Alamitos Race Course in Cypress, C ...

, which she won by lengths. In the voting for

American Champion Two-Year-Old Filly The American Champion Two-Year-Old Filly is an American Thoroughbred horse racing honor awarded annually to a female horse in Thoroughbred flat racing. It became part of the Eclipse Awards program in 1971. The award originated in 1936 when both t ...

, she finished second to Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies winner

Epitome An epitome (; gr, ἐπιτομή, from ἐπιτέμνειν ''epitemnein'' meaning "to cut short") is a summary or miniature form, or an instance that represents a larger reality, also used as a synonym for embodiment. Epitomacy represents "t ...

1988: three-year-old season

Goodbye Halo began her three-year-old season with a victory in the Grade 3

Santa Ynez Stakes The Santa Ynez Stakes is a Grade II American thoroughbred horse race for three-year-old fillies over a distance of seven furlongs on the dirt track held annually in early January at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California, USA. The event curren ...

on February 3, 1988. The 123-pound highweight and odds-on favorite, she went out to an early lead and easily won by five lengths in a final time of 1:23 for seven furlongs. On February 20, she also won the

Las Virgenes Stakes The Las Virgenes Stakes is a Grade III American Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-old fillies over the distance of one mile on the dirt scheduled annually in late January or early February at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California. The eve ...

, in which she defeated future

Kentucky Derby The Kentucky Derby is a horse race held annually in Louisville, Kentucky, United States, almost always on the first Saturday in May, capping the two-week-long Kentucky Derby Festival. The competition is a Grade I stakes race for three-year ...

winner Winning Colors by a neck. On March 13, she finished third in the

Santa Anita Oaks Santa Anita Oaks is an American Grade II Thoroughbred horse race held annually in early April at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California. Open to three-year-old fillies willing to race 8.5 furlongs ( miles) on the dirt. The race is a Grade II even ...

to Winning Colors. Goodbye Halo was then shipped to

Churchill Downs Churchill Downs is a horse racing complex located on Central Avenue in south Louisville, Kentucky, United States, famed for hosting the annual Kentucky Derby. It officially opened in 1875 and was named for Samuel Churchill, whose family was ...

for the

Kentucky Oaks The Kentucky Oaks is a Graded stakes race, Grade I stakes race for three-year-old Thoroughbred Filly, fillies staged annually in Louisville, Kentucky, United States. The race currently covers at Churchill Downs; the horses carry . The Kentucky O ...

. She and stablemate Jeanne Jones, coupled for betting purposes, were sent off as 0.9–1 favorites. Goodbye Halo ultimately won the race over Jeanne Jones, with Willa on the Move third. She then spent the summer of 1988 racing in

New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States New York may also refer to: Film and television * '' ...

. In the Grade 1

Mother Goose Stakes The Mother Goose Stakes is an American thoroughbred horse race for three-year-old fillies held at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York. Raced on dirt in late June or early July, the race currently offers a purse of $300,000. Inaugurated in 1957 at a mi ...

on June 10, Goodbye Halo stalked the early pace-setters from the outside and took the lead in the stretch, winning by lengths over 36–1 longshot Make Change. She also won the

Coaching Club American Oaks The Coaching Club American Oaks is a race for thoroughbred three-year-old fillies and the second leg of the Triple Tiara of Thoroughbred Racing. Originally run at Belmont Park, the Grade I $500,000 stakes race was moved to Saratoga Race Course in 2 ...

and finished fourth in the Grade 1

Alabama Stakes The Alabama Stakes is an American Thoroughbred horse race open to three-year-old fillies. Inaugurated in 1872, the Grade I race is run over a distance of one and one-quarter miles on the dirt track at Saratoga Race Course. Held in mid August, it cu ...

. In October, Goodbye Halo ran third in the

Las Palmas Handicap The Goldikova Stakes is a Grade II American Thoroughbred horse race for fillies and mares age three years old or older over the distance of one mile on the turf scheduled annually in November at Santa Anita Park, Arcadia, California. The event ...

before being shipped back to Churchill Downs for the

Breeders' Cup Distaff The Breeders' Cup Distaff is a Weight for Age Thoroughbred horse race for fillies and mares, 3 years old and up. Known as the Breeders' Cup Ladies' Classic between 2008 and 2012, it is held annually at a different racetrack in the United States or ...

. She finished third behind the undefeated

Personal Ensign Personal Ensign (April 27, 1984 – April 8, 2010) was a champion Thoroughbred racehorse who retired undefeated with 13 wins. At the time, this was the longest win streak for a horse at the elite level of American racing in 80 years. Her come ...

and 1988 Kentucky Derby winner Winning Colors. She finished her 1988 campaign back in

California California is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States, located along the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the List of states and territori ...

with a second-place run in the Dahlia Handicap and a fifth-place finish in the

Matriarch Stakes :'' This article is about an American horse race. For the Australian horse race, see Matriarch Stakes (Australia).'' The Matriarch Stakes is a Graded stakes race, Grade I American Thoroughbred horse race for fillies and mares that are of age thre ...

, both at

Hollywood Park Hollywood Park may refer to: Places United States * Hollywood Memorial Park Cemetery in Los Angeles, California * Hollywood Park, Chicago, a neighborhood in North Park, Chicago, Illinois * Hollywood Park, Inglewood, an entertainment complex and m ...

1989: four-year-old season

Goodbye Halo's four-year-old season began with wins in the

El Encino Stakes The El Encino Stakes was an American Thoroughbred horse race run between 1954 and 2011 at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California. Open to four-year-old fillies, it was raced over a distance of miles (8.5 furlongs) on the synthetic Cushion Trac ...

and

La Cañada Stakes The La Cañada Stakes is a Grade III American thoroughbred horse race for fillies and mares age four-years-old and older over a distance of one-and-one-sixteenth miles on the dirt track held annually in January at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, Ca ...

at Santa Anita. Two weeks after her win in the La Cañada, she finished second in the

Santa Margarita Invitational Handicap The Santa Margarita Stakes is an American Thoroughbred horse race run annually in early April at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California for fillies and mares age four and older, it is contested on dirt over a distance of one and one-eighths mile ...

. In April, she was sent to

Oaklawn Park Oaklawn Plantation may refer to: *Oaklawn (Huntsville, Alabama), listed on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) *Oaklawn Plantation (Leon County, Florida) *Oaklawn Plantation (Natchez, Louisiana) The Oaklawn Plantation is a historic pl ...

for the

Apple Blossom Handicap The Apple Blossom Handicap is a Grade I American Thoroughbred horse race for fillies and mares that are four years old or older, run under handicap conditions over a distance of one and one-sixteenth miles on the dirt track held annually in April ...

, where she finished second. Returning to California for the summer, Goodbye Halo ran second in the

Hawthorne Handicap The Hawthorne Handicap was an American Thoroughbred horse race run annually in May from 1974 thru 2008 at Hollywood Park Racetrack in Inglewood, California. The race was open to fillies and mares age three and older and regularly drew from the W ...

and third in the

Vanity Handicap The Beholder Mile Stakes is a Grade I American Thoroughbred horse race for fillies and mares aged three and up. It is run over a distance of one mile on the dirt each year in March at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California. History The event was ...

, both at Hollywood Park. On September 2, she won the Grade 2 Chula Vista Handicap. Following that win, she was again shipped east for a second-place finish in the

Spinster Stakes The Spinster Stakes (also known as the "Juddmonte Spinster" with Juddmonte Farms sponsorship) is an American Thoroughbred horse race for fillies and mares aged three or up run annually in early October at Keeneland Racecourse in Lexington, Kentucky ...

Keeneland Keeneland Association, Inc. is an equine business based in Lexington, Kentucky. It includes two distinct divisions: the Keeneland Race Course, a Thoroughbred racing facility, and Keeneland Sales, a horse auction complex. It is also known for it ...

Bayakoa Bayakoa (October 10, 1984 – June 14, 1997) was a Thoroughbred Champion racehorse bred in Argentina. After racing successfully in that country, Bayakoa was sold to Janis and Frank Whitham and subsequently raced in the United States, mainly in C ...

. Goodbye Halo stumbled at the start and was unable to catch Bayakoa, who was loose on the lead and won the race by lengths. Goodbye Halo closed out her career finishing sixth in the Breeders' Cup Distaff, held at

Gulfstream Park Gulfstream Park, owned by The Stronach Group, is a Thoroughbred race track, casino and outdoor entertainment and shopping destination in Hallandale Beach, Florida. Thoroughbred horse racing occurs year-round, defined by three distinct race meets ...

Retirement

In January 1990, Goodbye Halo was offered at Keeneland January as a broodmare prospect, where she was bought for $2.1 million by Morio Sakurai and was subsequently sent to

Japan Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...

. In 1995, Goodbye Halo produced , who went on to become a Japanese Group 1 winner and sire. Sired by

Dancing Brave Dancing Brave (11 May 1983 – 2 August 1999) was an American-bred, British-trained thoroughbred racehorse. In a racing career which lasted from the autumn of 1985 until October 1986, he ran ten times and won eight races. Dancing Brave was the ou ...

, he won the

Takamatsunomiya Kinen The is a Grade 1 flat horse race in Japan for four-year-old and above thoroughbreds. It is run over a distance of 1,200 metres (approximately 6 furlongs) at Chukyo Racecourse in late March. The forerunner of this race was the . It was started a ...

as a five-year-old before retiring to stud, where he sired Group 1 winners and .

Pedigree

{{Pedigree , name=Goodbye Halo, chestnut mare, foaled February 12, 1985{{Cite web, url=http://www.equineline.com/Free-5X-Pedigree.cfm/Goodbye%20Halo?page_state=DISPLAY_REPORT&reference_number=1022914®istry=T&horse_name=Goodbye+Halo&foaling_year=1985&dam_name=Pound+Foolish&include_sire_line=Y&nicking_stats_indicator=Y&sire_reference_number=0&dam_reference_number=0&color=&sex=&hypo_foaling_year=&breeder=&g-recaptcha-response=03ACgFB9sLRAZGYLGzQY-3674_C1SZA-ScXHYgzXzW3ucpHHrez_rLe1Ibv4J01Q5M0C67N_r50BQFkr9zWDPblFyhZsRZHNnPPxIDISW6ifvdUrCpFc8H-o7PrR1Quxpq8_aQ54-KFEb227wzk7se6nq2QCB345jDlr6rkRypYFTiNy2GpekNfEH5xQu5Uc8aC0cZ4_I3U_ZCi8ZrM3dOO6sffF8WhJ63ZBs1m7_UEDMkQcPbfmypmyTJt51Bb7hfxBslO_Ko3wp13fM7fKkK7x4RGFhA10CSPACuIsS-zNdubUxW8xx_ahBL3XsWGm0RY2tBVZVAv9w4LxStKwoVI6d6-j_NOuvNhQ, title=Goodbye Halo pedigree, website=www.equineline.com, language=en, access-date=2018-06-20 , f=

black 1969 , m=Pound Foolish
bay 1979 , ff=

Hail To Reason Hail to Reason (April 18, 1958 – February 24, 1976) was an American Thoroughbred racehorse and an influential sire. In a racing career cut short by injury, he was named the American Champion Two-Year-Old Colt of 1960 after winning seven stakes ...

br. 1958 , fm=

Cosmah Cosmah (April 4, 1953 - 1979) is an American Thoroughbred racehorse. While not known for her racing career, she is well known for being the dam of Tosmah and Halo (horse), Halo, who were both top level race winners. Racing career Cosmah won the ...

b. 1953 , mf=

Sir Ivor Sir Ivor (May 5, 1965 – November 10, 1995) was an American-bred, Irish-trained champion Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. In a career which lasted from July 1967 to October 1968 he ran thirteen times and won eight races. He won major races in ...

b. 1965 , mm=Squander
b. 1974 , fff=

Turn-To Turn-To (1951–1973) was a British-born, American-trained Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. Background He was sired by the British stallion Royal Charger, out of the French mare Source Sucree, whose sire, Admiral Drake, was third on the Fre ...

b. 1951 , ffm=Nothirdchance
b. 1948 , fmf= Cosmic Bomb
dkb/br. 1944 , fmm=

Almahmoud Almahmoud (1947–1971) was an American Thoroughbred racemare that was best known as an influential broodmare who produced Natalma and Cosmah. She was sired by the 1936 Epsom Derby winner Mahmoud, who was imported to the United States in 1940 ...

ch. 1947 , mff=

Sir Gaylord Sir Gaylord (February 12, 1959 – 1981) was an American Thoroughbred racehorse who later became a successful sire. Background He was bred and raced by Christopher Chenery. Sir Gaylord was sired by the British-bred, American-raced Turn-To out ...

dkb/br. 1959 , mfm=Attica
ch. 1953 , mmf=

Buckpasser Buckpasser (1963–1978) was a champion American Thoroughbred racehorse who was the 1966 Horse of the Year. His other achievements include 1965 Champion Two-Year-Old, 1966 Champion Three-Year-Old, 1966 Champion Handicap Horse, and 1967 Champi ...

b. 1963 , mmm=Discipline
b. 1962 , ffff= Royal Charger , fffm=Source Sucree , ffmf=

Blue Swords Blue Swords (german: Pokal der Blauen Schwerter) is an international figure skating competition organized by the Deutsche Eislauf-Union. It is usually held in Chemnitz, Saxony, Germany. Medals are awarded in the disciplines of men's singles, ladi ...

, ffmm=Galla Colors , fmff=

Pharamond Pharamond, also spelled Faramund, is a legendary early king of the Franks, first referred to in the anonymous 8th-century ''Liber Historiae Francorum'', which depicts him as the first king of the Franks. Historical sources and scholarship Pharam ...

, fmfm=Banish Fear , fmmf= Mahmoud , fmmm=Arbitrator , mfff=

, mffm=

Somethingroyal Somethingroyal (March 12, 1952 – June 9, 1983) was an American Thoroughbred racehorse best known as the dam of the 1973 U.S. Triple Crown champion and Hall of Fame inductee Secretariat. She also produced three other stakes winners and was n ...

, mfmf=Mr. Trouble , mfmm=Athenia , mmff=

Tom Fool Tom Fool (March 31, 1949 – August 20, 1976) was a champion American Thoroughbred racehorse who was the 1953 American Horse of the Year and was inducted into the Racing Hall of Fame. He sired the champion racehorses Buckpasser and Tim Tam. B ...

, mmfm=

Busanda Busanda (1947–1968) was an American Thoroughbred racehorse best remembered as the dam of U.S. Racing Hall of Fame inductee Buckpasser. Background Busanda was sired by 1937 U.S. Triple Crown champion War Admiral, a son of Man o' War, who w ...

, mmmf=

Princequillo Princequillo (1940–1964) was a Thoroughbred racehorse conceived in France and born in Ireland. He is known for his performances in long-distance races and his successes as a sire. Background His sire, Prince Rose, stood at the Haras de Cheff ...

, mmmm=Lady Be Good (

Family Family (from la, familia) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its ...

8-h) Goodbye Halo is inbred 3x4 to Turn-to, meaning that Turn-to appears once in the third generation and once in the fourth generation of her pedigree.

References

1985 racehorse births 2014 racehorse deaths Racehorses bred in Kentucky Racehorses trained in the United States Kentucky Oaks winners Thoroughbred family 8-h