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Hall of Fame - Laughterintherain
Original article written by Steph Lonhro posted 13 years 0 weeks agoIn the fourth week of racing in year sixteen the SIM bore witness to the start of a great race mare. Who would not only find success on the dirt, but she’d find equal success on the turf as well. An ability that would then carry over into her offspring.
Laughterintherain was a dark bay mare by Distorted Humor out of Storm Flag Flying by Storm Cat. She was bred by The Steward, and campaigned by Josh Dutzy. She would make her debut in a five furlong sprint in which she would win impressively by more then nine lengths. Three weeks later she would return in the six furlongs ‘Twin Spires Stakes’, where she would again soar to victory, but this time only by three lengths. In week eleven she would make her debut at a mile in the ‘Ellis Park Debutante’. Except this time the finish would be much closer. She narrowly managed to win by a neck over Laura Ferguson’s Hearts on the Mend. She followed this win up with another win in week fourteen before racing in week sixteen’s Steward’s Cup Juvenile Fillies going a mile and a sixteenth. She would suffer her first defeat in this race. Losing to Fiery Sunset, who was owned by Dave Shield's.
At three, Laughterintherain would return to her winning ways in the ‘Ashland Stakes’ in week four before following that up with big win in the week six ‘Louisville Oaks’, defeating Loki Empire, and Beatofmyheart. Josh would then enter his filly against the boys for the first time following this win in the week ten ‘Jim Dandy Stakes’. Laughterintherain would narrowly take home the win by a head over Eric Nalbone’s Boat. She would then return to take on the fillies in the ‘Alabama Stakes’, where she would be handed her second career loss, this time finishing third behind LaDonna King’s Quiet Excellence and Eric Nalbone’s Everything Right. She would then have a four week break heading into the Steward’s Cup at Sunshine Park. It would again be another Steward’s Cup with a loss, finishing third in the Distaff to Laura Ferguson’s Farewellinthedark and Dave Shield’s Wonder.
At four the sim would soon see a debut on the turf, a decision that would pay off at the end of her race career. She successfully returned to the track in the ‘Apple Blossom Handicap’ in year eighteen. She followed that up with a five week break before her trainer Josh Dutzy would again pit her against the boys in the ‘Stephen Foster Handicap’, where for the second time she would again beat the boys. It was in the twelfth week that she would make her debut on the turf in the ‘Beverly D Stakes’ in Chicago. She was as impressive on the turf as she had been on the dirt winning easily by more then seven lengths. In the Steward’s Cup held at Metropolitan Park in year eighteen she would come close to winning the ‘Steward’s Cup Filly and Mare Turf’ coming up just short. One had to wonder if she was snake bit in Steward’s Cup races.
Josh would race Laughterintherain at age five. She would start her last season in the fifth week on the turf in the ‘Solstice Stakes’ winning rather easily. She would again take on the boys this time on the turf in the ‘Flamingo Turf Cup’. Where she finished second four lengths back to Colorado. A nice colt owned by Ara Davies. She would then try and repeat her win in the ‘Stephen Foster Handicap’; however it was not to be when she came up short against Luis Polar’s End of the Line. However, she would come up successful in her attempt for back to back ‘Beverly D Stakes’, before once again trying for the elusive Steward’s Cup win in the ‘Filly and Mare Turf’. This time would prove different for Josh Dutzy and Laughterintherain. This nice mare had given her all in every race, not once finishing outside the top three in any of her eighteen prior starts coming into this one. This could be the feather on the cap, a nice way to end a career. With a win in the year end Championships. She had lost her previous three starts in the Steward’s Cup
She would face nice mares like Taian, Can’t Live in Fear, Lucrezia Borgia, and Alone in my Dreams among others. But today would be the day, the day that Laughterintherain would break through with a win in the Steward’s Cup, winning the ‘Steward’s Cup Filly and Mare Turf’ by two lengths over Taian, who was followed by Can’t Live in Fear. Laughterintherain finally had her Steward’s Cup win, and it capped off a great career.
She would then be retired and take on a new career as a broodmare. To date her highest earning offspring are both by End of the Line. A seven year old mare Got Hope, who found her success on the turf. A five year old horse named Coach Cal who has also found the most of his success on the turf with a few starts on the dirt and even on all weather. Not surprising her other top earning offspring is by Magician, who is a son of End of the Line. Who is another that has found her success on the turf. But that is not to say that Laughterintherain’s offspring have only been good on turf. Her three year old filly Laughingatthesky by Start of the End has found her success on the all weather circuit. While her six year old gelding Dark Ages was a decent dirt miler. Laughterintherain was not only diverse on the track, but she has also proven just as diverse as a broodmare.