Bill and Susan Casner’s Well Dressed, the dam of Dubai World Cup (G1) winner Well Armed, had to be euthanized Monday due to complications from foaling. She was 19.
“Well Dressed had a beautiful Medaglia d’Oro colt on March 2nd, and had complications from foaling. Like her son Well Armed, she fought to the bitter end, but unfortunately, she had to be euthanized today for humane reasons at Hagyard-Davidson-McGee,” said Elliott Walden, WinStar President & CEO. “She has been a blessing to the Casners, and she will be sorely missed by all who touched her, including all of us here at WinStar.”
“She was part of the family,” said Bill Casner. “The Dubai World Cup was the best moment for Susan and me in racing because of what Well Armed overcame, and this beautiful mare allowed us that opportunity. Well Armed has a special place in the history of horse racing, and his mother has a special place in our hearts.”
The stakes-winning Notebook mare was acquired by the Casners in 2001 while carrying her first foal, with the intent of breeding her to WinStar’s incoming new stallion for 2002 – back-to-back Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) winner & Horse of the Year Tiznow.
In 2003, she gave birth to Well Armed, who would go on to become one of the most accomplished racehorses in the 16-year history of WinStar. Overcoming a broken hip sustained in a stall accident as a 3-year-old, Well Armed went on to become a leading older horse in the world. The four-time Graded winner scored his biggest victory in the form of a monumental 14-length romp in the 2009 Dubai World Cup (G1), which still stands as the largest margin of victory in the international event. Well Armed also captured the 2008 Goodwood S. (G1) at Santa Anita. He retired in 2011 with earnings of $5,179,803.
Well Dressed also produced Grade 3 winner Witty and Grade 1-placed Helsinki – both by WinStar’s Distorted Humor – as well as several other daughters that are young producers carrying on her bloodline. Her progeny have earned a combined $5,858,889 on the racetrack.
Well Dressed’s newborn colt by Medaglia d’Oro is in good health and has been transferred to a nurse mare at WinStar, where Well Dressed had resided for the last 15 years.
