1982 champion filly Christmas Past dies

Christmas Past, 1982's champion 3-year-old filly, was euthanized on Dec. 13, 2008, due to the infirmities of old age, Claiborne Farm manager Gus Koch confirmed Wednesday. She was 29.

Christmas Past was a homebred for Cynthia Phipps, who died in 2007 at age 62.

Koch described Christmas Past as a "nice, kind mare" and said: "She was special to us because of Cynthia."

Christmas Past won five stakes en route to her title: the Grade 1 Coaching Club American Oaks and Ruffian Handicap, the Grade 2 Monmouth Oaks, and the Grade 3 Poinsettia and Bonnie Miss stakes. She also finished third in Lemhi Gold's 1982 Jockey Club Gold Cup. The following season, she took the Grade 1 Gulfstream Park Handicap against males, defeating Crafty Prospector by a neck.

She earned $563,670 from 8 wins in 15 starts.

Christmas Past produced six winners, but no stakes winners, during her career as a broodmare.

Her best foal, in terms of earnings, was her 1995 Out of Place filly Christmas List, a winner who earned $125,070.

Christmas Past produced her last foal, the Out of Place colt Wrapped, in 2002. She had been pensioned for the last several years, Koch said, and has been buried at Claiborne's Marchmont cemetery.