Morticia Closes Racing Career as Millionaire

G. Watts Humphrey Jr.'s Morticia closed the book on a stellar career Oct. 11 with a runner-up effort to Oleksandra in the Buffalo Trace Franklin County Stakes (G3T) at Keeneland.

"I'm pretty sure that's it. There's not much left for her to do, and I think now she will go to the farm where she grew up," said Rusty Arnold, who trained the mare and bred her in Kentucky in partnership with Humphrey. "We've got our two horses (Totally Boss and Leinster) for the Breeders' Cup (Turf Sprint, G1T), and there are six or seven other good ones, so it will be up to one of those two to carry the banner for us."

With Friday's $30,000 check, Morticia increased her bankroll to $1,019,669 with a record of 26-10-7-5. The 5-year-old daughter of Twirling Candy  made all her starts on the turf except for her debut as a 2-year-old in 2016 at Ellis Park, where she finished sixth in an off-the-turf race.

"I know how lucky I am," Arnold said. "I have a one-broodmare band (the Mr. Greeley mare Halloween Party), and I have a millionaire out of her."

Never worse than fourth in any of her 25 turf starts, Morticia won at eight tracks, including twice at Keeneland, where she took the 2017 Franklin County. She also scored in graded company in the Sept. 7 Spendthrift Farm Ladies Sprint Stakes (G3T) at Kentucky Downs.

Her first Keeneland start came in April 2017 when she finished second in the Appalachian Stakes Presented by Japan Racing Association (G3T) going one mile.

"I never tried her two turns again because she was doing so well sprinting and she won three stakes right after that," Arnold said. "In the Appalachian, (grade 1 winner) La Coronel ran by her in the stretch, and she beat (two-time grade 1 winner) New Money Honey and that good filly of Brendan Walsh's (Proctor's Ledge)."

Morticia won't be headed to the Breeders' Cup World Championships, and neither will Team Valor International's Oleksandra, trained by Neil Drysdale.

Girls Know Best, who finished a neck behind Morticia in third, might head to California, according to trainer and co-owner Eddie Kenneally.

The $100,000 Sen. Ken Maddy Stakes (G3T) at 5 1/2 furlongs on the turf is part of the Nov. 2 Breeders' Cup undercard. Kenneally has two of his horses pointed to the World Championships: Scabbard (TVG Juvenile, G1) and Abscond (Juvenile Fillies Turf, G1T).

"I'm not sure (about the Maddy)," said Kenneally, who claimed Girls Knows Best at Keeneland two years ago for $40,000. "There are a lot of races for her (at Gulfstream Park) such as the Abundantia (five furlongs Dec. 28) and the race she won a couple of years ago on Pegasus Day (five-furlong Ladies' Turf Sprint Stakes on Jan. 25)."

Regarding the Breeders' Cup, Kenneally said Mike Smith would have the mount on Scabbard, and Irad Ortiz Jr. will ride Abscond.