Christmas Past

Christmas Past
Sire	Grey Dawn
Grandsire	Herbager
Dam	Yule Log
Damsire	Bold Ruler
Sex	Filly
Foaled	1979
Country	United States
Colour	Gray
Breeder	Cynthia Phipps
Owner	Cynthia Phipps
Trainer	Angel Penna, Jr.
Record	14: 8-2-3
Earnings	US$563,670
Major wins
Coaching Club American Oaks (1982) Monmouth Oaks (1982) Ruffian Handicap (1982) Poinsettia Stakes (1982) Bonnie Miss Stakes (1982) Gulfstream Park Handicap (1983)
Awards
American Champion Three-Year-Old Filly (1982)
Horse (Equus ferus caballus)

Christmas Past (April 15, 1979 - December 13, 2008) was an American Thoroughbred Champion racehorse bred and raced by Cynthia Phipps of the famous Phipps racing family. She was out of the mare Yule Log, a daughter of eight-time leading sire in North America and U.S. Racing Hall of Fame inductee. Her sire was the 1964 French Champion Two-Year-Old Colt, Grey Dawn.

Conditioned for racing by Angel Penna, Jr., as a three-year-old in 1982, Christmas Past won five stakes races for fillies including the Coaching Club American Oaks by six lengths.^[1] Her performances earned her 1982 American Champion Three-Year-Old Filly honors.

At age four, Christmas Past defeated her male counterparts in winning the February 26 Grade 1 Gulfstream Park Handicap in Florida. It marked only the second time in the thirty-seven year history of the race that a filly had won.^[2] A week later her owner decided to retire her from racing saying it was because of a variety of minor physical ailments that could hamper her running especially when she would be required to compete under heavy handicap weights that could increase the risk of a serious injury. ^[3]

Retired to broodmare duty at Claiborne Farm in Paris, Kentucky, Christmas Past produced ten foals between 1985 and 2002, none of which won or placed in a stakes race.^[4]

At age twenty-nine, Christmas Past was humanely euthanized on December 13, 2008 due to complications from the infirmities of old age. She was buried in the Marchmont Cemetery at Claiborne Farm.^[5]

References

• Christmas Past's pedigree and partial racing stats

1. ^ New York Times - June 27, 1982
2. ^ Ocala Star-Banner - Feb 27, 1983
3. ^ New York Times - March 6, 1983
4. ^ Pedigree Query's progeny for Christmas Past
5. ^ Bloodhorse.com - February 4, 2009