Epitome, champion in '87, dead

Epitome, 1987 champion juvenile filly, died Friday at John and Benny Bell Williams's Elmwood Farm near Lexington, Ky. A Summing mare out of Honest and True, Epitome was 19 and was in foal to Pulpit when she died of a ruptured artery.

Epitome was voted champion 2-year-old filly after winning the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies and the Pocahontas Stakes. She also finished second in the Grade 2 Alcibiades that year. She went on to establish a career race record of 14-5-5-1 and earn $631,755 racing for John A. Bell III

Epitome went on to become a successful broodmare, most notably as the dam of dual Grade 2 winner Essence of Dubai.

Epitome's foals also have brought high prices at auction. Essence of Dubai sold for $2.3 million at the 2000 Keeneland September sale, and Danjur brought $1 million at the 1993 Keeneland July auction as their dam's most expensive lots.

Epitome will be buried at Elmwood next to champion and Hall of Famer Flawlessly.