NEWS
Life Is Sweet retired, will be bred to Smart Strike
Posted: Saturday, March 13, 2010 4:07 PM
LIFE IS SWEET
Benoit & Associates photo
Life Is Sweet, winner of the 2009 Breeders’ Cup Ladies’ Classic (G1) and stablemate of undefeated champion Zenyatta, was retired on Saturday after she developed muscle cramps following a workout at Hollywood Park, the Daily Racing Form reports.
Plans call for the five-year-old Storm Cat mare out of Sweet Life, by Kris S., to be bred to two-time leading sire Smart Strike.
“She came back to the barn for the workout and tied up a little bit,” trainer John Shirreffs told the Form about Life Is Sweet, who previously had bouts with muscle cramps. “We don’t want to compromise her at all.”
Life Is Sweet capped last season with a career-best performance in the Ladies’ Classic during the Oak Tree meeting at Santa Anita Park, sweeping from last for a 2½-length triumph. She opened 2010 with a runner-up finish to St Trinians (GB) in the Santa Maria Handicap (G2) on February 13 at Santa Anita and was being prepared for the $10-million Dubai World Cup (UAE-G1) later this month.
Overall, she posted six wins, four seconds, and one third from 16 career starts and earned $1,820,810 for owners-breeders Marty and Pam Wygod.
Life Is Sweet, a full sister to the Wygods’ 2004 champion two-year-old filly Sweet Catomine, began her racing career with trainer Bill Mott in 2007. She won two of seven starts for the Racing Hall of Famer and finished second in the 2008 Sands Point Stakes (G2) at Belmont Park.
Sent to Southern California, Life Is Sweet enjoyed her best season in 2009, when she won four stakes from her eight starts. She immediately reeled off a three consecutive victories for Shirreffs in the El Encino (G2) and La Canada (G2) Stakes and Santa Margarita Invitational Handicap (G2) before finishing second to 2008 champion older female Zenyatta in the Milady Handicap (G2) and third against males in the TVG/Betfair Hollywood Gold Cup (G1).
After fourth-place finishes to her unbeaten stablemate in the Clement L. Hirsch (G1) and Lady’s Secret (G1) Stakes, Life Is Sweet rebounded emphatically in the Ladies' Classic.
“She ran by those horses like they were standing still,” Shirreffs told the Form. “It was special. She was a really, really nice filly.”
