Susan Osborne, owner of stakes winners Melatonin and Desert Code, dies at 81

Owner Susan Osborne, who won the 2016 Santa Anita Handicap with Melatonin and the 2008 Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint with Desert Code, died earlier this month of age-related infirmities at her home in Glendale, Calif., trainer David Hofmans said earlier this week.

Osborne was 81.

Osborne, who raced under the stable name Tarabilla Farm, had a decades-long involvement in Southern California racing, first with trainer Riley Cofer and later with Hofmans.

A lifelong resident of Glendale, Osborne enjoyed her greatest success with Hofmans. Melatonin won 5 of 14 starts and earned $1,398,552. Aside from the 2015 Big Cap, Melatonin won the Grade 1 Gold Cup at Santa Anita in 2016.

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Melatonin finished fifth behind Arrogate in the 2016 BC Classic at Santa Anita and was retired the following year.

“He had a minor injury and he could have made it back,” Hofmans said on Thursday. “He could have been viable in the handicaps.

“Mrs. Osborne said, ‘He’s a gelding and he’s done enough.’ She retired him. The love of the horse came first.”

Hofmans said Melatonin resides at the Amerman family’s Peacefield Farm in Temecula, Calif.

Desert Code was a five-time stakes winner who earned $1,088,939. He stands at stud at Harris Farms in California and has a stakes for turf sprinters named in his honor at Santa Anita.

This year, Tarabilla Farm had wins in one-mile turf races at Santa Anita in January and February with Feeling Grazeful, a 4-year-old filly.

Osborne is survived by a daughter, Candace, and granddaughter, Jade Guernsey. A funeral service will be held at Forest Lawn Hollywood Church of the Hills at 12:30 p.m. on Sept. 8.