RaceHorseHeroes

jejquade · Posted: Fri Aug 07, 2009 12:42 pm Post subject: Iza Valentine

By Bloodstock World Staff12.23PM 7 AUG 2009

IZA Valentine, dam of Kentucky Oaks winner Fran's Valentine, was put down on Thursday due to the infirmities of old age. The 33-year-old daughter of Bicker had spent the past five years at the Our Mims Retirement Haven in Kentucky.

Iza Valentine was a tough filly on the track, winning four of 25 starts and running placed in the Las Madrinas Handicap and Bangles and Beads Stakes.

She went on to become an outstanding broodmare, producing 11 winners from 13 named foals of racing age led by Fran's Valentine, a daughter of Saros who earned over $1.3m thanks to 11 wins including Kentucky Oaks, Santa Susana Stakes and Hollywood Oaks. She was also demoted from first in the 1984 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies due to interference and ran second in the Hollywood Starlet Stakes and Breeders' Cup Distaff.

Fran's Valentine later produced two stakes winners for George Strawbridge in multiple Grade 1 winner With Anticipation and Prix de Cabourg scorer and Prix Morny runner-up With Anticipation, herself the dam of Listed winner With Interest.

Iza Valentine returned to Saros a further seven times which resulted in Grade 2 Silver Screen Handicap winner Iz A Saros and the stakes-placed pair Recommendation and Crissy Aya.
Her final foal was Carsonality, a Listed-winning daughter of Carson City.

Gaines-Gentry, who took over ownership of the mare from Green Thumb Farm in California in 1995, sent Iza Valentine to the Our Mims Retirement Haven in 2004 with a group of mares that included Taba and My Turbulent Miss.

Out of the stakes-winning Count Of Honor mare Countess Market, Iza Valentine was a half-sister to six winnners including Alamedan Handicap scorer Azu Were.