Holy Helena Latest Breeding Success for Stronach

Frank Stronach's Adena Springs breeding operation—a seven-time Eclipse Award-winning operation—added another feat July 2 when homebred Holy Helena beat the boys as the favorite in the Queen's Plate Stakes at Woodbine.

The 3-year-old Ghostzapper   filly's victory in the June 11 Woodbine Oaks Presented by Budweiser makes her the seventh filly to win both the Oaks and Queen's Plate.

The big win continues a big year for owner, breeder, and track owner Stronach. In April the Jockey Club of Canada Board of Stewards presented Stronach with the E.P. Taylor Award of Merit for his longtime involvement and commitment to Thoroughbred racing in Canada. The award is given to people who have positively impacted or contributed to the Thoroughbred industry in Canada.

Holy Helena is just the latest success story for Stronach's breeding operation. The Queen's Plate winner is a half sister to Amsterdam Stakes (G2) winner Holy Boss (by Street Boss  ). Sold as a 2013 Keeneland September yearling for $135,000 to K D E Equine, Holy Boss raced for Jerry Durant and trainer Steve Asmussen. Making his past two starts for Louis Merryman, Holy Boss most recently finished sixth in Belmont Park's True North Stakes (G2) June 9.

Holy Helena is out of Holy Grace, a two-time winner in three seasons who tested stakes company only once in 14 tries, finishing unplaced in the 2008 Edgewood Stakes at Churchill Downs. Holy Grace, a daughter of the late Holy Bull, is out My Marchesa, a daughter of Stately Don who won the five-furlong Gala Lil Stakes over the Pimlico Race Course turf in October 1993 for Mark Lapidus and trainer Damon Dilodoviso before being purchased by Stronach. She made her final six starts for Stronach, earning more black type with a third-place effort in Woodbine's Carotene Handicap before beginning her broodmare career.

My Marchesa—also the dam of grade 2 winner Rookie Sensation and grade 3 winner Mark One—had plenty to offer in her pedigree. Stately Don, by Nureyev, was a three-quarter brother to champion, and eventual Hall of Fame member Manila, and she was out of stakes-placed Sooni, a Buckpasser daughter out of blue hen Missy Baba. Missy Baba's Raja Baba was the leading sire of 1980 and she also threw grade 1 winner and sire Sauce Boat and influential broodmares Gay Missile (dam of champion Gay Mecene and the second dam of 1992 Broodmare of the Year Weekend Surprise), and Toll Booth, the 1991 Kentucky Broodmare of the Year. 

Holy Grace delivered a colt by Silver Max in Ontario for Adena Springs May 18. 

Holy Helena is one of 65 stakes winners for 2004 Horse of the Year Ghostzapper. His five other added-money winners this year include multiple grade 1 winner Paulasilverlining, grade 1 winner Shaman Ghost, and grade 3 winner McCraken. He stands at Adena Springs near Paris, Ky., where his 2017 fee was $75,000.