Shepickedupadance - by Bill Outsilver

Sometimes greatness is measured in neither dollar amounts, nor minutes and seconds. Sometimes it's measured in good old-fashioned heart and class, virtues which can be only be estimated by circumstance and, often, sheer luck. Other times, greatness can be measured in an athlete's ability to perform at his or her best consistently. But whatever method you measure greatness by, a grey mare named Shepickedupadance is a cut-above the rest.

How does a name as interesting as Shepickedupadance come about? As you will see later in this article, it doesn't come from the names of the horses in her pedigree. The name interestingly enough came from a conversation between The Steward, Emily Shields, and Shepickedupadance's owner Kellie Whitehead. As background for those like me that aren't familiar with racetrack vernacular, trainers will often tell their riders "Hey, go down to the half and pick up a jog and then get to the mile pole and pick up a gallop". The Steward told Kellie Whitehead that "dainty pretty fillies should pick up a dance instead". The rest is history. Kellie went on to name the filly Shepickedupadance. To those who knew and loved her, this great champion was known as "Picky".

With purse earnings of almost $4 million, "Picky" is among the leading money-earning fillies and mares in the world. She ran in Steward's Cup races each year of her career. This mare was voted a champion each of her first two years. "Picky" won races from five furlongs all the way up to 1 ¼ miles.

Owned by THE trainer in the old SIM Kellie Whitehead, "Picky" was born of the truest, bluest blood. She was out of two real life horses. Her sire is A.P. Indy, the leading sire of dirt horses in the SIM. Shepickedupadance's dam, Miesque, was a multiple stakes winner in real life and her foals won well over $9,000,000 in their SIM careers. Her dam sire is the immortal European Champion 3-year-old Colt (France) and leading sire of grass horses, Nureyev.

Trainer Kellie Whitehead had trained the SIM's first Champion Event of the Year so she was no stranger to talented horses. Under her careful eye, "Picky" would only be raced four times at the age of two. But Kellie did not have low expectations for the rather gorgeous gray filly.

Shepickedupadance's first lifetime start would be a five furlong Maiden race which she won. Kellie realized she had something special and place her in the seven furlong "Debutante Stakes" in which she was victorious. Kellie continued to aim high in "Picky's" third race after her admirable effort in the Debutante by placing her in the one mile "Matron Stakes" where she won again.

With unwavering faith in the gray filly's ability, Kelly entered "Picky" in the Grade 1 Steward's Cup Juvenile Fillies at 1 1/16 mile. In this race she would go up against fellow gray filly, Smokemifyagotem, one of the big favorites coming into the race. This great filly was undefeated as well having beaten all comers in her previous five starts as a two year old. The two grays didn't disappoint in the race. "Picky" and Smokemifyagotem ran stride for stride around the track and "Picky" was able to pull ahead in the final stride to win by a nose. With this victory, "Picky" finished the season a perfect 4-4 and was voted Champion 2-Year-Old Filly.

At three, her trainer Kellie decided that she had proved herself against the fillies and that it was time to take on the colts. "Picky" started off the season by winning the "Event of the Year Stakes" at 1 1/16 miles against six colts or gelding and one filly. She had now won the first five races of her career. The next three races would be the defining stretch of her career that would solidify her status as a great champion.

Let's take a moment to step aside from "Picky" and take a look at a three year old colt named Priceless Forever. This colt caused some controversy and a little ill-will when he was named by his trainer, Jennifer Stewart. Jennifer trained a colt named Priceless. Kellie Whitehead thought that the name was pompous. Priceless Forever was out of the great mare Serena's Song who Jennifer trained and was the biggest rival of Kellie's horse, Event of the Year. Priceless Forever had won all four of his starts as a two year old including the Steward's Cup Juvenile which he won the race after "Picky" had won the Steward's Cup Juvenile Fillies. He was named Champion 2-Year-Old Colt so they had two year old seasons that mirrored each other. While "Picky" was winning the "Event of the Year Stakes", Priceless Forever was winning the Grade 1 "Bluegrass Stakes". These two had very similar running styles as both were stalkers. A meeting between these two was unavoidable and the two trainers would pick up the rivalry where they left off with Event of the Year and Serena's Song.
"Picky" was going to the Kentucky Derby. The field was thirteen, including Priceless Forever. The two would be putting their perfect 5-5 records on the line in the biggest three year old race of them all. This would be a big test for "Picky" going up against ten males as well her rival from the Steward's Cup Juvenile Fillies, Smokemifyagotem, and another filly. She ran a very nice race once again beating Smokemifyagotem, but didn't quite have enough to beat Priceless Forever. This was the first blemish on her record, but a valiant second for a filly in the Kentucky Derby was nothing to be disappointed in.

Kellie liked what she saw from "Picky" and aimed her for the second leg of the Triple Crown, the Preakness Stakes. Many in the know trainers thought she might have a chance to strike back at Priceless Forever and win the Preakness. Misfortune struck her as she came up with a bruised hoof in her training the day before the Preakness and had to be scratched. We'll never know if she would have been able to beat Priceless Forever. Without "Picky" entered he went on to win, improving to a perfect 7-7 in his career.
Now that she was fully healed from the bruised hoof, "Picky" was aimed for the Belmont Stakes. Once again she would face off with Priceless Forever in a field of twelve. If she could defeat Priceless Forever it would keep him from the Triple Crown. As the race was running it quickly became obvious that Priceless Forever was not to be denied. He ran with his normal stalking style and ran away with the race at the end trouncing the field. "Picky" once again finished second to him.
At this point, many trainers would have moved the filly back to face the ladies or looked for a racing path to avoid Priceless Forever. Kelly had great confidence in her filly and entered her in the Grade 1 Travers Stakes against Priceless Forever in her next start. Priceless Forever was a huge favorite for the Travers. Only three other horses even entered the race against him. Few thought that he could beat. Kellie's confidence in "Picky" would pay off. "Picky", the true professional she was, took her previous two losses in stride and came back to do the unthinkable and beat Priceless Forever. This would be the only defeat he received in his racing career.
The final race of the three year old season for "Picky" was the Steward's Cup Classic. No major upset was to happen this time as she finished fourth with Priceless Forever winning. "Picky" had run five times as a three year old, each time against the boys winning twice and finishing second twice. Her outstanding performance throughout the year was so brilliant that she was voted the Champion 3-year-old Filly.

"Picky's" career slowly began to wind down in her four year old season, but it would not be reflected in the quality of her performances. She was entered in six races, the most of her career. The races were all Grade 1 races with the exception of the Grade 3 "Fayette Stakes". Priceless Forever had retired so the rivalry wasn't carried into this season. She finished a nice second in the Santa Anita Handicap, third in the Dubai World Cup, first in the Go For Wand Handicap, second in the Fayette Stakes and first in the Ruffian Handicap. Her racing career ended with a disappointing fourth place finish in the Steward's Cup Distaff where she finished behind three very nice mares. Her Steward's Cup career ended as it began finishing one spot in front of her old rival Smokemifyagotem.

After three very successful seasons of racing in which she won at least one Grade 1 stakes in each season, "Picky" was retired. There was every hope that "Picky's" legacy would continue with her foals after retirement. She proved to be a very nice broodmare, but couldn't live up to the legendary status of her racing career. "Picky" gave birth to ten foals with nine winners and one stakes winner. The average earnings of her foals were $138,173 with the top earner winning $769,700. None of her foals came close to the race record or almost $4,000,000 she in earning she amassed while racing. Sadly racing lost one of its greats when Shepickedupadance died of colic shortly after giving birth to her last foal Shepickedupamatch. Shepickedupadance was inducted into the SIM Hall of Fame in SIM Year 22, Week 4 as a well deserved celebration her lifetime accomplishments. Those who were there will never forget her race as a three year old in the Travers Stakes to defeat Priceless Forever. She will always be immortalized in the SIM.
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Born: SIM Year 2
Current: Deceased
Owner: Kellie Whitehead
Breeder: Kellie Whitehead

Pedigree:
Bold Reasoning

Seattle Slew

My Charmer

A.P. Indy

Secretariat

Weekend Surprise

Shepickedupadance
Lassie Dear

Northern Dancer

Nureyev

Special

Miesque

Prove Out

Pasdoble

Santa Quilla

Racing Record:
Year Age Starts 1st 2nd 3rd Estimated Earnings*
3 2 4 4 0 0 $1,025,000
4 3 5 2 2 0 $1,520,000
5 4 6 2 2 1 $1,285,000
total 15 8 4 1 $3,830,000

*Earnings were not tracked for the first eight years of her career. The earnings have been reconstructed as close to the actual as possible from The Steward.

Career Highlights:

at 2:
won - Debutante Stakes
won - Matron Stakes
won - Steward's Cup Juvenile Fillies
Named Champion 2-Year-Old Filly

at 3:
won - Event of the Year Stakes
won - Travers Stakes
2nd - Kentucky Derby
2nd - Belmont Stakes
4th - Steward's Cup Classic
Named Champion 3-year-old Filly

at 4:
won - Go For Wand Handicap
won - Ruffian Handicap
2nd - Santa Anita Handicap
2nd - Fayette Stakes
3rd - Dubai World Cup
4th - Steward's Cup Distaff

Inducted into SIM Hall of Fame in Year 22 Week 4

Produce Record:

Shepickedupadance is the dam of 10 foals, 9 winners, 1 SWs:
Her She Dances, grey mare by Silver Charm
Picking Up Speed, grey mare by Priceless Forever
Only In Dreams, grey mare by Battle Cry
Unrequited, grey horse by Flying Colours
Shepickedupthepace, grey mare by Onwardsilvercharm
Alias Fever, grey horse by Derby Fever
Famous Image, chestnut mare by Priceless Forever
Helookedforthegold, grey gelding by Seeking The Gold
Totem, grey horse by Symbol
Shepickedupamatch, grey mare by Symbol