1st place winner and producer Hollywood Story died peacefully of natural causes June 13 at owner George Krikorian’s Starwood Ranch, Krikorian said June 22. She was 21 years old.
“She means a lot to my show; she’s really been a big part of everything we’ve accomplished over the years,” Krikorian said.
Hollywood Story, a daughter of Wild Rush — Wife for Life, of Dynaformer, was purchased in 2002 by Donato Lanni for $130,000 from breeder Vinery at The July Sale, Fasig-Tipton of Kentucky selling chicks selected. Racing for four seasons for Krikorian and coach John Shirreffs, she grossed nearly $1.2 million. The only start of her 27-race career that wasn’t made in ranked holdings was the first time she debuted with a special maiden weight.
Shirreffs told BloodHorse in 2020: “Hollywood Story has been defined. She is very strong and has a tremendous will.”
Hollywood Story in 2020 at Starwood Ranch
Starting five games as a 2-year-old, four of the stakes were graded, Hollywood Story scored her first win in her final game of that season, starting with the last. for a 2 3/4 long win in the 2003 Hollywood Starlet Stakes (G1) Awards. She has won the classification bets each year on the track, taking the Bayakoa handicap (G2) at 3, the Hawthorne handicap (G3) at 4 and the Vanity Invitational (G1) handicap at 5. All four wins all come at Hollywood Park, and her five 1st grade wins include the American Oaks Invitational (G1T) on the field.
“As a racehorse, she was unbelievable,” recalls Krikorian.
Hollywood Story’s most successful pony to date is Honor AP , the 2020 Runhappy Santa Anita Derby (G1) winner, who finished fourth in that year’s Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve (G1). Now stand beside my king Honor code at Lane’s End, the Honor AP was the highest-priced cross from the stallion’s first sale when he sold in 2018 to CRK Stable for $850,000 at The Saratoga Sale, a curated sale. of the year by Fasig-Tipton in Saratoga Springs, NY
Hollywood Story generated seven winners from eight starters, four of which won the black category. Her first pony, Acclaim (by Storm Cat), set in multiple stakes; Miss Hollywood (via Moon Malibu ) won a black category event at Gulfstream Park; Hollywood star (by Malibu Moon) placed in the Saratoga Special Stock presented by Coors Light (G2) and in the Iroquois Share (G3); and the Honor AP bills itself as a big 3 year old contender.
“All her ponies are beautiful and they sell for a lot of money,” says Krikorian. “She was just an important part of our operation and we will miss her.”
The last two ponies of Hollywood Story, an underrated 3-year-old Curlin name is stupid Hollywood Wife and an untrained 2-year-old Tapit name is stupid Hollywood Insider, has been retained by Krikorian and is now in Starwood. Hollywood Wife is in foal to Real According to Starwood manager Tony Burton, while plans are pending for Hollywood Insider, who could return to training or be bred next year.
Krikorian also lost the Grade 1 Dynaformer mare Starrer in 2021.
“She’s a few years older than Hollywood Story; we lost her last fall,” he said. “She’s a first-class mare, she’s a big horse. My ranch Starwood is named after those two horses.”
Bred by Wind Hill Ranch from a Relaunch To the Hunt mare, the Starrer was a $35,000 purchase, also selected by Lanni, in 1999 at The October Sale, Fasig-Tipton of the Kentucky Fall avid sales from the consignment of Mr. and Mrs. William Wofford, the dealer. She won the Santa Maria (G1) and Santa Margarita Invitational Handicap (G1) handicaps in 2003 along with three other graded bets through a four-year campaign, originally coached by David Hofmans, then Shireffs. Her descendants include 3rd graders Payer mare Movie Moment and deposits Street Cry The Mare Star Act.
