Obituary: Champion Caressing Produced West Coast

Caressing, champion 2-year-old filly of 2000 and dam of 2017 champion 3-year-old male West Coast  , died Sept. 14 at Hermitage Farm due to laminitic conditions. She was 23.

The Goshen, Ky., farm reports the mare was buried between the paddocks next to the foaling barn, "where she devoted so much time to watching future champions grow."

Campaigned by Carl Pollard and trained by David Vance, Caressing nailed down a championship when she scored a 47-1 upset in the 2000 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) at Churchill Downs. That same year, Pollard began a 10-year run as chairman of Churchill Downs Inc. after serving on its board since 1985.

"I've got a lot of confidence in David," Pollard said after Vance sent Caressing out to victory in the Juvenile Fillies. "I'm so happy for him. It's a dream come true."

Caressing then matched that success as a broodmare, producing champion West Coast (by Flatter  ), a two-time grade 1 winner who earned more than $5.8 million. Caressing also produced graded stakes-placed Juan and Bina  (Indian Charlie) and Gold Hawk  (Empire Maker).

Agent Ben Glass went to $425,000 to land West Coast for owners Gary and Mary West from the Hermitage Farm consignment at the 2015 Keeneland September Yearling Sale.

"I just loved this colt," Glass said. "He was so charismatic and carried himself so well. He had such a fluid walk; he would slink along like a panther. He had good size and a great big overstep on him."

After not competing in the Triple Crown races, West Coast nailed down his championship with four straight stakes victories: the Easy Goer Stakes, Los Alamitos Derby (G3), Travers Stakes Presented by NYRA Bets (G1), and Pennsylvania Derby (G1). Against older horses in the Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) at Del Mar, he finished third behind Gun Runner   and Collected  .

As a 4-year-old he finished second in both the Pegasus World Cup Invitational Stakes (G1) and Dubai World Cup Sponsored by Emirates Airline (G1). He was also second in the Awesome Again Stakes (G1).

Caressing's first foal, My Goodness , by Storm Cat, has become a prominent broodmare in Japan. She has produced grade 1 winner Danon Kingly , grade 3 winner Danon Legend, and stakes winner Danon Good.

Caressing has a 2-year-old son of Honor Code  , named Touch Code, in training with Bill Mott for Pollard. She also has a yearling colt by Horse of the Year Gun Runner who will be retained.

Bred in Kentucky by Brereton Jones, Caressing was a daughter of Honour and Glory —Lovin Touch, by Majestic Prince. Agent Mike Ryan went to $180,000 at the 1999 Keeneland September Yearling Sale to land Caressing for Pollard. Caressing earned $955,998 in her racing career, which also saw her win the La Troienne (G3) and Singapore Plate (G3) stakes at age 3.