The Horse of a Lifetime at Clarkland Ranch and Broodmare of the Year 2016 Leslie’s Lady According to Marty Buckner, who ran the family farm with his father Fred Mitchell, passed away peacefully in the early morning hours of January 24. Tricky Creek’s daughter was 26 years old.
“She did what Leslie” did, says Buckner. “Her last day was a good one. She is living in retirement with Hidden Assets, and they have a beautiful location, a beautiful large field.”
Leslie’s Lady is buried near the entrance of the ranch.
Fred Mitchell and his late wife Nancy purchased Leslie’s Lady for $100,000 at a November 2006 Livestock Share Sale in Keeneland. She’s a winner of more than $187,000 bets and has produced a number of ponies, including at the time an avid Harlan’s Holiday named Into Mischief .
“Like so many good horses, you remember where you were when you first saw them,” says Buckner. “She’s usually what my mom is looking for — she’s a 2 year old bet winner, just turned 10 and already has a few ponies on the ground for her to start with and one of they won the second race.”
A Day in the Life: Broodmare of the Year Lady by Leslie
Leslie’s Lady will produce 15 ponies, of which nine will become racehorses and seven won. The most successful horses bred by Clarkland Ranch are Beholder , who won 11 class 1 shares, won four championship titles in 2012-13 and 2015-16, and retired with $6,165,600; and, level 1 winner and male Mendelssohn , who has earned $2,542,137. During the auction, the descendants of Leslie’s Lady generated more than $13 million in sales for the Clarkland ranch. Her daughter, America Joy, Triple Crown winner American pharoah , which sold for $8.2 million at the September 2019 Keeneland Sale.
“You can’t put into words how important she is. She secured my parents’ future and was under so much pressure from the farm,” Buckner said. “She gave every member of the family and every member of the ranch so much thrill. You couldn’t have dreamed of this. It was an honor to take care of her.”
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