Sensational (1974–2000) was an American National Champion Thoroughbred racemare bred and raced by the Mill House Stable of Nicholas F. Brady and his siblings.

Racing at age two

Going into the month of December 1976, Sensational had had a very good campaign but was up against strong competition for the Eclipse Award with a pair of two-year-olds considered to be ahead of her. Katharine Hardin's filly Mrs. Warren had won the Schuylerville, Matron and Spinaway Stakes while Northern Sea, owned by Windfields Farm, had won the Linwood Handicap and Mermaid Stakes. Sensational defeated both in the December 11 Frizette Stakes at Belmont Park, a race that was New York state's richest stakes for fillies. Sensational then ended her 1976 campaign with another win in the Selima Stakes at Maryland's Laurel Park. She had won five of her 11 starts that year including two Grade 1 events and would be voted the Eclipse Award as the American Champion Two-Year-Old Filly of 1976.^[1][2][3]

Racing at age tree and four

At age three, Sensational won two of her 17 starts; her most significant win that year was the victory in the Ladies Handicap at Aqueduct Racetrack. In 1978 she won twice more out of 16 starts, including a win in the Hawthorne Handicap at California's Hollywood Park Racetrack.^[1]

Honors

Sensational was selected for the Aiken Thoroughbred Racing Hall of Fame in 1977.^[4] Her trainer, Woody Stephens, was inducted into the U. S. Racing Hall of Fame in 1976.

Sensational died in 2000 at age 26.

References