Susan's Girl (1969-1988) is an amazing mare. She was voted #51 of the Top 100 racehorses of the 20th century. She raced and raced and raced for a career record of 63: 29-14-11. Before they had the grading system, she won 9 stakes in 1972 and earned Champion 3 year-old-filly. Then in the first year of the official grading system, 1973, she won 6 graded races, 4 at the very best level, Grade 1! By then she was close to being the first distaffer at $1 million, so her dad, Fred Hooper, wanted her to win it all. But she chipped a bone in her leg and needed surgery. She was sent to Hooper's Farm near Ocala, Florida, and after the surgical removal of the 3 chips, she spent 2 months being vanned to Lake Weir for a daily swim. So...after her surgery and recovery, she came back kicking it into gear!Two fillies, Dahlia and Allez France, had already surpassed the $1 million mark in the meantime, but that was in Europe. So, very quickly, Susan's Girl passed the big mark for North America! She won a *ton* of races, including the Signature Stakes, Villager Stakes, Beldame Stakes (twice), Acorn Stakes, Cotillion, Kentucky Oaks, Santa Susana, Gazelle Handicap, Santa Ynez, Pasadena, La Troienne Stakes, Delaware Stakes, Santa Margarita Invititational, Santa Barbara Handicap, Susquehanna, Santa Maria Handicap, Spinster Stakes, Falls City Handicap, Matchmaker Stakes, Apple Blossom, and Long Beach Stakes.
She was ultimately the only filly in the 20th century to win a 3 year-old-championship (1972), and two champion older mare awards (1973, 1975). She was inducted into the National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame in 1976. When she retired, she had 11 foals, several with her stablemate, Tri Jet, and even a foal named Florida Sunshine, with Alydar. She foaled a Grade 1 stakeswinner, Copelan, who was named after the physician who surgically removed her bone chips and oversaw her recovery and healing regimen. All of that, and I couldn't find a photo of her on the internet except on a person's Ebay site where they were selling her Thoroughbred Record front page photo showing her relaxed before her Spinster Stakes win!! Go figure! She is related to my girls in several ways, including Bull Lea, Mahmoud, Blue Larkspur, Sweep, Blenheim, Gainsborough, Hyperion, and La Troienne. The other picture is by my favorite horse artist, Frances Mabel Hollams! You can read more about Susan's Girl at the following link: