Big sister followed little sister for the Outstanding Broodmare Award for 2017.
Victorious Ami is the second consecutive mare owned and bred by Ivan Dalos to win the title, a lifetime achievement award for a mare who has produced a stakes horse for the award season as well as in a previous year.
The 16-year-old chestnut by Dalos-bred Victory Gallop from Secret Ami by Secret Claim earned 164 voting points to take the trophy over another Dalos mare, Keen Victory. In 2016, Galloping Ami, a foal of 2006, was the first Outstanding Broodmare winner for Dalos.
“It is immensely satisfying that two of the four mares nominated this year were all bred by Tall Oaks Farm,” said Dalos, whose breeding program has risen to the top of the charts in recent years. “I guess it must say something about our breeding program. I’m hoping to keep it going.”
Victorious Ami was a fast learner in her racing career as she won the most prestigious race for Canadian-bred 2-year-old fillies, the Princess Elizabeth Stakes. She went on to finish third in the Woodbine Oaks and Bison City Stakes as a sophomore before being retired with earnings of $302,644.
As a broodmare, she is off to a similarly fast start with five winners from her first six foals to race including Dalos’ top mare Ami’s Mesa, who was named Champion Female Sprinter and Older Mare in 2017. Ami’s Mesa was second in the voting to Pink Lloyd for Horse of the Year.
Ami’s Mesa, a daughter of American stallion Sky Mesa, provided Dalos with one of his biggest thrills in racing in 2017 when she just missed winning the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint at Del Mar Racetrack, edged by a nose by Bar of Gold.
Trained by Josie Carroll, Ami’s Mesa won all four of her previous races during the season including the Grade 2 Presque Isle Downs Master’s Stakes in track record time.
Victorious Ami’s third foal, Ami’s Holiday, was one of the top 3-year-olds of 2014 as he raced in all three legs of the Canadian Triple Crown and won or placed in all three. The son of Harlan’s Holiday won the Breeders’ Stakes, was second in the Queen’s Plate and third in the Prince of Wales Stakes. He won the Grey Stakes (Grade 3) as a 2-year-old.
An earner of over $817,000, Ami’s Holiday is now at stud in Ontario at Colebrook Farms.
Victorious Ami is also the dam of stakes placed Victory Exchange. She has a 2-year-old of this year, a colt by Into Mischief named Into Temptation and a yearling colt by Flatter.
Dalos keeps his mares at Nick Lotz’ Briarbrooke Farm in Paris, KY or Norse Ridge Farm, owned by Rene and Darlene Hunderup, in King, ON.
