Alittlebitearly, dam of Bayern, dies at 18

Alittlebitearly, the dam of Breeders' Cup Classic winner Bayern, has died at Helen Alexander's Middlebrook Farm in Kentucky after delivering a healthy filly by Nyquist. The Thunder Gulch mare was 18.

Alittlebitearly was bred by Alexander in partnership with her mother, Helen Groves, and sister, Dorothy Matz. The unraced mare produced five winners from as many starters, led by Bayern, who won four graded stakes in 2014, highlighted by Grade 1 scores in the Haskell Invitational and Breeders' Cup Classic. Bayern now stands at Hill 'n' Dale Farm, and his first foals raced last year as juveniles.

Alittlebitearly is currently represented at the races by Mister Frank's Way, a Union Rags colt who won once from four starts last year as a juvenile for Down the Stretch Racing. The mare also leaves behind Carnarvon, a recently-turned juvenile colt by American Pharoah who was a buyback as a yearling last September, and her new Nyquist filly.

Alittlebitearly was out of the Alydar mare Aquilegia, who was a mutliple graded stakes winner for co-breeder and owner Groves. Aquilegia, a direct descendant of the blue hen Courtly Dee, was a full sister to champion Althea.