[Kasept]

Original version of an obit I did for Blood-Horse...

Infirmities claim Nerud’s Clabber Girl, 25
By Steve Byk

John A. Nerud’s Clabber Girl, a frequent rival of Personal Ensign, winner of the 1988 Top Flight Handicap (G1), and second to Sacahuista in the 1987 Breeders’ Cup Distaff, was euthanized June 7 due to the infirmities of old age at Sugar Maple Farm in Poughquag, NY. She was 25.

“She was a real hard-hitting mare,” said owner-breeder Nerud. “And she was my original frequent flyer. (Trainer) Wayne (Lukas) never hesitated to fly her somewhere to run.” And run she did. A Florida-bred chestnut by Alydar out of Jedina (What a Pleasure), Clabber Girl amassed $1,006,261 from 39 career starts that featured 8 wins, 12 seconds and 6 thirds.

Clabber Girl broke her maiden November 11, 1985 at Aqueduct under Mike Venezia and had built a solid record of 11/3-2-2 ($86,784) while helmed by Nerud as a juvenile and sophomore. Sent to California and Lukas to start her four year old season, she blossomed during a 16 start campaign that included placements in 6 Graded Stakes ranging in distance from 6.5 to 9f and culminated with her finishing 2 lengths behind Sacahuista under Laffit Pincay Jr. in the Breeders’ Cup IV at Hollywood. Earlier that year at the Inglewood, CA oval she set a new 6.5f track record of 1:15.60.

“She wasn’t a great 2 year old,” Nerud recalled, “But by the time Wayne got her she was on her way to becoming a good horse. She was a model of how a good racemare should look. The feminine head.. shoulder.. hip. She personified soundness.”

In her final year on the track in 1988, Clabber Girl broke through three times in graded stakes annexing the 9f Top Flight H. (G1) with Jose Santos at Aqueduct before scores in the 6.5f Rancho Bernardo H. (G3) with Pincay and the Chula Vista H. (G2) with Chris McCarron. She faced Personal Ensign three times as a 5 year old getting as close as 2nd by 1.75 lengths to the undefeated legend in the Shuvee.

After her racing career, she was bred by her owner to the likes of Seattle Slew, but her best runners came from matings with Nerud’s own A.P. Jet including top earner Wing Man ($313,825). Of her 14 foals, 9 raced and 8 have won, including NYB-stakes placed Running Dog ($209,382). Clabber Girl has a 3 year old filly named Curtains (A.P. Jet) in training, and a yearling colt named Artifice (Performing Magic) at Sugar Maple.

Clabber Girl became increasingly arthritic in recent years, and her condition deteriorated markedly over the winter according to Sugar Maple Farm Manager Dan Hayden. “It was getting harder and harder for her,” Hayden said. “And she was such a sweetheart of a mare that no one wanted to see her suffer.” Clabber Girl laid down in her paddock June 7, and when apparent that she would not get up, she was put to sleep by Sugar Maple veterinarian Dr. Jim Mort.

“Mr. Nerud always used her as a reference for the conformation of a great horse.” said Hayden. “She was pure class in every way too. Delightful to be around, a super mother.” And while Nerud, Hayden and the Sugar Maple staff are sad to see Clabber Girl go, they are all intrigued by the yearling colt she leaves behind. “Everybody that sees him, loves him,” Hayden says. “It would be just like her to save her best for last.”