Sistercharlie (IRE)

Sistercharlie began her career in France with three wins in her first four starts, inclduding a Group 3 win, before running second to Senga in the Group 1 Prix de Diane Lingines (French Oaks). She subsequently was shipped to the United States and ran second by a neck to New Money Honey in the Grade 1 Belmont Oaks Invitational Stakes.

After the Belmont Oaks, Sistercharlie developed a lung infection and became very ill. She was given plenty of time to recover and returned in April 2018 in the Grade 1 Coolmore Jenny Wiley Stakes at Keeneland. She uncoiled an explosive burst of speed in the stretch to seize command and draw clear in a visually impressive victory that gave Sistercharlie her first career Grade/Group 1 win.

After a close runner-up finish to stablemate Fourstar Crook in the Grade 2 New York Stakes, Sistercharlie closed with a belated rush to nip Ultra Brat by a nose to win the Grade 1 Diana Stakes on July 31 at Saratoga. She followed with a visually impressive victory from off the pace in the Grade 1 Beverly D. Stakes, seizing command in deep stretch and holding off stablemate Fourstar Crook for her third Grade 1 win of the year.

Sistercharlie cemented her credentials as the favorite for the Eclipse Award as champion turf female when she reeled in Wild Illusion and stablemate A Raving Beauty in the closing strides of the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf on Nov. 3 to record a career-defining victory.

At the Eclipse Awards, the voting for 2018 champion turf female was close, but Sistercharlie outpolled Longines Breeders’ Cup Turf winner Enable by a 130-119 margin to receive the award, accepted by owner Peter Brant.

Sistercharlie made her 2019 debut a memorable one and she reeled in stablemate Rushing Fall, a four-time Grade 1 winner, in the stretch of the Grade 1 Diana Stakes on July 13 en route to a 2 ½-length victory. She followed with a record-setting performance in the Grade 1 Beverly D. Stakes when she closed powerfully for a repeat victory and stopped the clock in 1:52.43, a course record for 1 3/16 miles at Arlington.

Sistercharlie made her final prep for the 2019 Breeders’ Cup in the Grade 1 Flower Bowl Stakes at Belmont Park on Oct. 6, and as usual tracked well behind her pacesetting stablemate Thais before angling out and closing through the stretch. She posted a comfortable three-quarter length victory over Grade 2 winner Mrs. Sippy to extend her winning streak to six. The streak came to a halt in the 2019 Filly and Mare Turf when Sistercharlie finished third behind winner Iridessa and runner-up Vasilika.

Sistercharlie returned from an 8 1/2-month layoff in the Grade 2 Ballston Spa Stakes July 25 at Saratoga and looked like she needed a race to regain her elite form as she finished third behind reigning Canadian Horse of the Year Starship Jubilee and stablemate Call Me Love.