Willa B Awesome retired, will be bred to Medaglia d'Oro

ARCADIA, Calif. – Willa B Awesome, winner of the Grade 1 Santa Anita Oaks in 2012, has been retired, breeder and co-owner Terry Lovingier said Thursday.

Willa B Awesome was recently sent to Kentucky and will be bred to Medaglia d’Oro, Lovingier said.

A 4-year-old, Willa B Awesome won 5 of 19 starts and $648,896, all for Lovingier, Phil Daniels, Patsy London, and John Winters. Aside from the Santa Anita Oaks, Willa B Awesome won three other stakes, including the Grade 3 Santa Ysabel Stakes at Santa Anita in January 2012.

In the Santa Anita Oaks, Willa B Awesome finished a nose in front of Reneesgotzip as a 13-1 outsider.

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“It was one of those wins that we weren’t really expecting,” Lovingier said. “We would have been happy to be second or third. What really makes it special was raising her. Anybody can go buy a racehorse.”

Trained by Walther Solis, Willa B Awesome, a California-bred by Awesome Gambler, finished third in her final start, the Grade 2 La Canada Stakes at Santa Anita on Jan. 20.

“She’s in good shape,” Lovingier said. “We think she’s s a better dirt horse. If we keep her going this year, she’d have to run quite a bit on synthetic. She’s probably got more value as a broodmare. The plan is to breed her, and we’ll run her through the November sale unless the partners change their minds.”

Lovingier said that River’s Kiss, the runner-up in the Grade 2 Sorrento Stakes at Del Mar in 2011, has been retired, sent to Kentucky, and will be bred to Hard Spun.

Lovingier said that a 2-year-old full brother to Willa B Awesome will be at the track this spring with Solis. His name is Willie B Awesome.