Born Gold, dam of Goldikova, dies at 27

Born Gold, the dam of champion Goldikova and five other group stakes winners, has died at age 27. Pierre-Yves Bureau, who manages the racing and breeding interests of the Blushing Groom mare's owner-breeders, the Wertheimer brothers, reported the mare's death via Twitter.

A winner on the track herself, Born Gold produced 15 foals, 14 of whom made it to the races, with 13 winners. The group includes six group stakes winners, led by Goldikova. A daughter of Anabaa, Goldikova put together a career mark of 27-17-6-3 with earnings of more than $7.1 million. She won the Breeders' Cup Mile in 2008, 2009, and 2010, and finished third in the race in 2011. Goldikova also won nine Group 1 events in France and was a multiple Group 1 winner in England, including a score in the Queen Anne at the Royal Ascot meeting in 2010. She finished second in the race the following year.

Born Gold also produced French Group 1 winner Galikova, and Anodin, who was a Group 3 winner in France, finished third in the Queen Anne, and was second in the 2014 Breeders' Cup Mile. The mare's other standouts included Group 3 winners Gold Luck, Gold Round, and Gold Sound, and Group 3-placed Born Something and Red Tune.

Born Gold's daughters have proven able producers in their own right. Goldikova's daughter Terrakova was a Group 3 winner and Group 1 placed last season. Gold Round is the dam of four stakes winners on the flat and over jumps, led by Group 3 winner Goldwaki, and both Born Something and Galikova have produced stakes-placed runners.

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