Thoroughbred

Horsepeople in both Canada and California were aware of Arravale’s prowess over a turf course, especially after her splendid form earlier that year in California. Thus her dramatic victory on the lawn at Woodbine in the Grade 1 E.P. Taylor Stakes, which came against some of Europe’s leading grass specialists, wasn’t a complete surprise.  She went off at odds of almost 5-to-1. Her 2006 triumph in Canada’s premier turf race for fillies and mares earned Horse of the Year honors as well as a Sovereign Award as Champion Turf Female. She earned more than $1 million in just five starts that year.

Arravale, bred in Kentucky by W. Bruce Lunsford,  was owned by Robert J.Costigan, and conditioned by Hall of Fame trainer Mac Benson, who carefully guided her through a 15-race career,  winning at distances from 6 ½ furlongs to 1 ¼ miles.  The daughter of Arch and the French mare *Kalosca, made an impact at age two, breaking her maiden at Woodbine on the turf, then capturing the prestigious Grade 3 Natalma Stakes. The only loss for Arravale in 2005 was in the Grade 3 Mazarine Stakes, which marked her only race on Woodbine’s dirt track.

At age three she thrived on the turf in both California and her home base at Woodbine, where she won the Alywow Stakes before shipping to the west coast and Hollywood race track, finishing third in the Grade 1 American Oaks. Arravale bounced back at Del Mar, winning the Grade 1 Del Mar Oaks under jockey Jose Valdivia Jr., who was on her back in nine of her 15 starts.

She returned to Woodbine and just failed to get up in time in the Grade 2 Canadian Stakes, losing by a ½ length. But the best was to come in the $1 million E.P. Taylor Stakes. Seven of the nine distaffers headed the foreign contingent, including the English favorite Red Bloom, and contenders Angara, Barancella and Naissence Royle.  Arravale earned a 103 Beyer figure in that win, which was the last of her career.  Arravale retired with five wins, a second and two thirds and a bankroll of $1,230,549.

Arravale was purchased by Merriebelle Stable at the Keeneland Association November 2016 Breeding Stock Sale for $490,000.  In 2018 the CHRHF member was one of the mares featured in the National Museum & Hall of Fame’s Foal Patrol project, allowing online viewers to observe the final stages of the mare’s pregnancy and delivery of her American Pharoah colt May 28, 2018.