One of Ohio's finest mares lives on in an Ohio Thoroughbred Race Fund stake named in her honor.
Angenora, foaled May 28, 1979, was a bay daughter of Two Relics, out of the Royal Note mare Happy Highness. Bred by Happy Times Farms, Angenora sold early in her 2-year-old season for $8,500 and began her racing career under the tutelage of trainer Frank Watkins, finishing second in the 5½ furlong Loyalty Stakes at Thistledown to Frostie Doggie over a sloppy track in 1:09 on June 24, 1972.
She then shipped to River Downs where she scored the first of her ten stakes triumphs on July 1, besting her rival Frostie Doggie handily in the Ohioan Stakes. She would start just six times as a freshman, with two wins, two seconds and $11,835 in seasonal earnings.
The first start of her 3-year-old campaign saw Angenora finish third on March 31, 1973 at Thistledown in the Annie Oakley Stakes. A month and a half later she bounced back to capture the Ohio Matron Stakes over the Cleveland dirt at the start of what would become a five-stake win streak. She took the Hunting Valley Handicap on June 9 at Thistledown; the Cleveland Oaks on June 15; the Ohio Debutante on Aug. 18; and finally, the Myrtlewood Stakes at River Downs on Aug. 25. For her efforts Angenora was named Champion 3-Year-old Filly for 1973 after winning seven of 20 starts and adding another $57,571 to her bankroll.
For her 4-year-old season Angenora was paired with trainer James E. Morgan and she began much the same as the previous year, with a third-place finish in the Ohio Matron Stakes in Cleveland on April 24. She followed that up with a second-place finish in the Rosie O'Grady Stakes on May 12 and then notched her first triumph of 1974 with a sparkling victory in the Somethingroyal Handicap on June 2 at Thistledown. That win was the start of another stakes-winning streak.
Angenora recorded victories in the Hunting Valley Stakes; the Rhinelander Handicap at River Downs; and the Ohio Debutante for the second straight season. She was also second in the Scarlet Carnation Stakes; third in the Cuyahoga Lassie Stakes; and second in the Mahmoudess Stakes late that year. She earned $51,001 that year from five wins, five seconds and two thirds in 15 starts.
Returning at age five, Angenora seemed poised for another successful season and finished third in the Diana Handicap on April 12, 1975 at Beulah Park. On May 17 she was second in the Losantiville Handicap which was to be her final stakes contest. She started 11 times that year with those two wins, one second and one third and $15,107 in earnings.
Angenora retired with 16 wins, ten seconds and four third in 52 lifetime starts, amassing $135,514 in the process.
Her first foal, born in 1978 and named Andys Angenora (by Val De L'Orne) was unplaced in three starts while her second, Haboob (by Graustark) a foal of 1979, was stakes placed in 27 starts.
Her third foal, christened Cote Divoire (by Sir Ivor) was foaled in 1980 and went on to earn $56,183 from three wins in 20 starts. Angenora had been sold by Pegasus Stud in foal for $330,000 to Tom Gentry in the Keeneland 1980 January Horses of All Age Sale that year, the fifth highest-priced horse of the sale.
She later sold for $62,000 at the Keeneland Fall Breeding Stock Sale in foal to King Pellinore and their mating produced Here Comes Love who earned $38,727 from one win, eight seconds and four third in 18 starts.
Angenora then sold for $4,000 to the JB Racing Stable in foal to Artichoke in 1992, producing the mare Artful Angel and a year later, at the Keeneland November 1993 Sale of Breeding Stock, Angenora was sold to Jon L. Starr for $3,000 in foal to Tilt Up by Glen Echo Farm.
She produced a total of 14 foals, none of whom could match the brilliance of their mother. This season the Michael G. Mackey Memorial-Angenora Stakes will be held on Thursday, Sept. 10 at Jack Thistledown.
The post Remembering Ohio’s Champions: Ten-Time Stakes Winner Angenora’s Legacy Lives On appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.
