Owner Rick Porter announced Monday that Grade 1-winning millionaire Joyful
Victory has been retired. The five-year-old daughter of Tapit concluded her
racing career with a third in Saturday’s Zenyatta Stakes at Santa Anita.
“I have decided that Joyful Victory has done all and more than (trainer)
Larry Jones and I have asked of her during the last four years,” Porter said in
a statement posted on his Fox Hill Farm
website and
Facebook pages.
“I have been very proud to race Joyful Victory in the red and white silks of
Fox Hill Farm, but it is time for her to begin her career in the breeding shed.
She will fit right in with any of the top broodmare bands worldwide.
“She is by the top sire Tapit and is his leading earner in 2013 and fifth
leading lifetime earner. She ticks all the boxes to be a successful broodmare.
“I went to Santa Anita yesterday hoping to see her win her last career start,
but it was not to be. At least I was able to witness her final race.
“Joyful Victory won or hit the board in 12 of her 16 starts in graded stakes.
She raced at 10 different tracks. She retires with a record of 20-7-5-4 and was
a millionaire with earnings of $1,252,679.
“She has been entered in the Fasig-Tipton November Select Sale and will be
consigned by Taylor Made Sales Agency. I sure will miss watching this gorgeous
gray mare race at the top of the sport.”
A $400,000 two-year-old in training purchase at Fasig-Tipton’s Florida Sale,
Joyful Victory was initially trained by Tony Dutrow. She captured her debut in
game fashion at Delaware Park before tackling Grade 1 company in the Frizette,
finishing third, and wrapped up her first season with a respectable fifth in the
2010 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies.
Transferred to Jones ahead of her 2011 campaign, Joyful Victory made a
terrific impression when romping by 8 3/4 lengths in the Honeybee and by seven
lengths in the Fantasy. She went on to finish fourth in the Kentucky Oaks and
second in the Mother Goose, but wound up last of five in the Coaching Club
American Oaks. The gray exited that subpar performance with a bone chip and
underwent surgery at Rood and Riddle.
Joyful Victory returned to action at four and added another stakes to her
resume in the Tiffany Lass at Fair Grounds. Although she did not win during the
remainder of 2012, she placed in her five ensuing starts, all in graded stakes
— the Azeri, Gardenia, Zenyatta, Chilukki and Falls City.
In her first outing of 2013, Joyful Victory dominated the January 26 Houston
Ladies Classic in a track-record time of 1:42 1/5 for 1 1/16 miles at Sam
Houston. She next earned her Grade 1 trophy in the March 16 Santa Margarita by
four resounding lengths. After a rare clunker in the Ogden Phipps on Memorial
Day, she rebounded with a 7 1/2-length tour de force in the July 28 Molly
Pitcher, her start prior to the Zenyatta.
Joyful Victory was bred by William D. Graham in Ontario and originally sold
for $60,000 as a Keeneland January yearling. She was produced by the winning
Wild Again mare Wild Lucy Black.
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