The Eclipse Awards, one of the most prestigious celebrations of thoroughbred racing, marks its 30-year anniversary with heightened excitement this week as the racing community honors the legendary mare Serena's Song. Celebrated as the 1995 Champion 3-Year-Old Filly, Serena's Song captured the hearts of fans and breeders alike, establishing herself as one of racing's finest athletes.
This year's awards ceremony will take place on Thursday evening at Denali Stud, the famous breeding farm located near Paris, Kentucky, owned by Conrad and Claire Bandoroff. Serena's Song remains close to their hearts, highlighting her importance not just as a champion racer but as the "Queen of Denali." "We call her the 'Queen of Denali,' just because she is really our foundational mare and the fact she's still with us," said Claire Bandoroff.
Serena's Song had memorable achievements throughout her illustrious career, winning 11 Grade I races and securing her place as the richest mare in North American racing history upon her retirement. Notably, she triumphed against male competitors, capturing victories at the GI Haskell Invitational Stakes and the GII Jim Beam Stakes. Her remarkable race record, which also includes 17 graded stakes wins, stands as a benchmark of excellence rarely seen today.
Trained by Hall of Fame legend D. Wayne Lukas, Serena's Song became synonymous with grace and talent. "She had the elegance of a Grace Kelly, she had the moves of a Ginger Rogers, and she had the charisma of a Marilyn Monroe," Lukas once gushed, emphasizing the mare's unique presence both on and off the track.
But Serena's Song's influence reaches beyond her racetrack achievements. The Bandoroffs have cultivated their relationship with the mare since she arrived at Denali. "She's seen a lot of horses come and go, seen a lot of people come and go. She's been here for all of it. She's special," said Conrad Bandoroff. Growing up in the shadow of such greatness, the Bandoroff siblings recount tales of their childhood intertwined with the legend of Serena.
Even after retiring, Serena's Song continued to leave her mark. She bred six stakes winners and became the foundation for Denali's breeding program, producing five seven-figure Keeneland yearlings. The legacy continues, as her descendants maintain her elite status within the racing lineage. Today, she remains at Denali Stud, where Brendan Eldridge, the broodmare manager, highlights Serena's lasting charm: "She's everything. She's the foundation of Denali. She pretty much started Denali."
At 33 years old, the beloved mare continues to receive the utmost care. While age inevitably has its challenges, the team at Denali is committed to ensuring her well-being. "We still had her in a field last year...but we put her in a smaller paddock now. Her eye looks good. I always judge how she's doing by looking at her eye. Her eye is bright and she's happy," Eldridge stated, reflecting on how the farm maintains her health.
Serena's Song still enjoys her taste for peppermints, which have become iconic for her even during her more protective moments with her foals. Claire Bandoroff recalls, "Peppermints were the prerequisite bribe Serena required if any human needed to handle her foals." Such anecdotes show just how much the mare has remained part of the family at Denali, almost giving her agency within her legacy.
Despite the passage of time and the inevitable changes it brings, the Bandoroff family's reverence for Serena's Song only deepens. "We know the day she passes away is inevitable," Conrad reflects, gazing at the racing legend. "We always say we'll have a farm full of horses, but it will feel empty."
The upcoming Eclipse Awards ceremony holds significance not just as an annual tradition for the horse racing community but also as a heartfelt tribute to geniuses like Serena's Song who help to shape not only the business of racing but also the familial bonds within it. Serena’s remarkable history exemplifies the pride, passion, and dedication inherent to the industry.