In Clover, Dam of Four Group 1 Winners, Dies at 23

In Clover, one of the best broodmares of modern times, has died at the age of 23 following a short illness. George Strawbridge's homebred blue hen is the dam of nine winners, including four who struck in group 1 company, namely We Are, Call The Wind, With You, and Friendly Soul (GB). "She passed away quickly on Saturday (May 24) at Barton Stud under the excellent supervision of Rossdales' Ollie Pynn," said bloodstock agent Tom Goff, who oversees Strawbridge's European breeding stock "It's obviously very sad as she was a wonderfully kind mare. But she had an incredible life as both racehorse and broodmare for her owner and breeder, Mr Strawbridge. He was saddened by the news but, at the same time, is hugely grateful to have owned such a superstar mare. "I have to mention Zoe Isaacson and the team at Barton, who have looked after her so well. Also, David Ludlow of Stowell Hill Stud cared for her for many years so deserves huge credit, as do Joe Bradley and his team at The National Stud, where she often went to foal." Goff added: "It's worth saying that all her group 1 winners were sired by Juddmonte stallions, which says a lot about the depth and quality at that establishment. She leaves behind a smart Kingman yearling colt and an exceptional filly foal also by Kingman, so hopefully the story isn't over yet." In Clover was born in 2002 after Strawbridge sent his Bellypha mare Bellarida to visit Inchinor at Woodland Stud in Newmarket. She had well above average racing ability herself, as she won four of her 18 races while under the care of Freddy Head. Her most notable victory came in the 2005 running of the Prix de Flore (G3), while she also finished fourth, beaten just over two lengths, in the Prix d'Astarte (G1) won by Mandesha the following year. However, it is her remarkable accomplishments as a broodmare that have secured her place as a modern great, with no less than seven stakes winners—and counting—on her breeding record. Her first black type success at paddocks came courtesy of Dream Clover, who won a brace of French listed contests toward the end of 2012. Her third foal, Dansili filly We Are, supplied her dam's top-level breakthrough with a snug neck success over Ribbons in the 2014 Prix de l'Opera (G1). Next came Incahoots, whose racing career was capped by winning the 2016 Prix Saonois at Cagnes-sur-Mer. Incahoots has also done her bit to uphold family honor by breeding three winners, including 2023 Prix de la Foret (G1) heroine Kelina. In Clover registered a group 1 double during the 2018 season as With You, her sixth foal and another daughter of Dansili, ran out a three-length winner of the Prix Rothschild (G1). Around three months later, her fifth foal, Call The Wind, a son of Frankel (GB), claimed a game victory in the Prix du Cadran (G1). The mare's most recent group 1 success came last year when the John and Thady Gosden-trained Friendly Soul became her dam's second winner of the Prix de l'Opera with a 3/4-length strike in 2024. The daughter of Kingman (GB) could yet add further laurels to the family roll of honour, as the 4-year-old remains in training at Clarehaven. In Clover's other black type winner is the Dubawi horse In Crowd, who struck in a listed contest at Nantes in 2022. In Clover spent much of her breeding career under the care of David Ludlow, former manager of Stowell Hill Stud in Somerset. Ludlow shared his first-hand insight into In Clover's talents in a Good Morning Bloodstock last August, saying: "She's the most lovely mare. She was absolutely no problem and a completely devoted mother to all her foals. She was pretty faultless in her temperament and very, very good-looking as well. "She stamps her foals incredibly. No matter what stallion she went to she had these lovely, leggy, rangy foals who were, on the whole, dark bay. They all had a nice temperament as well, just like her. When she was on the way back from the National Stud with her foals, you pretty much knew what to expect: a good-looking, leggy-ish foal who was probably bay. The one who stands out was Call The Wind, but only because he was chestnut." "She was unremarkable in so much as she was very trouble-free," Ludlow said. "She was just a nice, easygoing, uncomplicated mare. She just proved to be a very good one."