Vegas Showgirl - Dam Of Winx - Dead at 21

Mark Smith - Sunday October 15

Segenhoe Stud's Peter O'Brien reported that the 21-year-old mare Vegas Showgirl, the dam of Winx, died on Sunday morning.

Bred by Aotearoa Stud Ltd and Graeme Rogerson, Vegas Showgirl was a dual-Listed stakes-winning daughter of Al Akbar. She was a $455,000 purchase by Colm Santry Bloodstock on behalf of John Camilleri's Fairway Thoroughbreds at the 2008 Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale.

In addition to the 25-time Group 1 winner and $26,451,175 earner Winx (Street Cry), Vegas Showgirl is the dam of Group III ATC Kindergarten Stakes winner El Divino (Snitzel), and Riverbank Stud's unraced Boulder City (Snitzel) a $2.3million yearling.

At Geelong on September 25, the Fairway Thoroughbreds homebred Time Of My Life made a winning career debut for Peter Moody, becoming the fifth winner from as many to race for Vegas Showgirl.

Time Of My Life makes winning debut (image Reg Ryan/Racing Photos)

Vegas Showgirl has a 2-year-old filly by Pride of Dubai called Taleitaki in training with Michael Freedman.

Her lightly raced 4-year-old daughter by the legend Deep Impact (JPN), City of Lights, also made a winning debut at Geelong in June for Anthony and Sam Freedman. Now in work with Joe Pride, City Of Lights has been nominated for a fillies and mares Benchmark 72 (1550m) at Randwick-Kensington on Wednesday.

City Of Lights nominated for Randwick on Wednesday (image Reg Ryan/Racing photos)

Vegas Showgirl left seven fillies from ten foals.

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The unraced Courchevel (Snitzel), has a yearling filly by Capitalist and foaled a Dundeel colt in August.

The winning Exceed And Excel mare Covent Garden was covered last season by I Am Invincible after losing her first foal by the champion Australian stallion.

Vegas Showgirl's first foal, Miss Atom Bomb (Encosta de Lago), has a 2-year-old colt by I Am Invincible, a yearling colt by So You Think and was covered last spring by Street Boss (USA).

Winx and her Pierro filly (image Winx official)

The trials and tribulations of Winx at stud have been well-reported. The champion's only foal to date, a filly by Pierro, is slated to go under the hammer at Easter next year. 

After missing to Snitzel last year, Winx returns to the Arrowfield Stud champion this spring. 

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