Rarely do top-class racemares duplicate their efforts from the racetrack as broodmares. The odds are simply stacked against such a feat. It has been done, though, and if one were to rank mares who were the best in both careers, Miesque would undoubtedly be near the top of that list. She won 10 Grade or Group 1 races, including two editions of the Breeders’ Cup Mile, and her first two foals were classic winners.

Fourteen years ago this summer, horse racing was at one of its periodic upticks in national exposure as fans were drawn to the exploits of an unbeaten star racemare based in Southern California, and by the time the 27th Breeders’ Cup World Championships arrived at Churchill Downs, excitement was at a fever pitch.