Let's Elope

For the 1919 American film, seeLet's Elope (film).

Let's Elope
Sire	Nassipour
Grandsire	Blushing Groom
Dam	Sharon Jane
Damsire	Battle-Waggon
Sex	Mare
Foaled	(1987-11-20)20 November 1987 Hamilton, New Zealand
Died	11 September 2016(2016-09-11)(aged 28) Euroa, Victoria,Australia
Country	New Zealand
Colour	Chestnut
Breeder	Highview Stud
Owner	Fleiter family Dennis Marks and Kevin White (1991)
Trainer	Dave O'Sullivan Bart Cummings
Record	26: 11-0-5
Earnings	A$2,940,250 - NZ$42,925 - US$169,000
Major wins
Caulfield Cup(1991) Melbourne Cup(1991) LKS MacKinnon Stakes(1991) Turnbull Stakes(1991) Australian Cup(1992) C F Orr Stakes(1992) St George Stakes(1992)
Awards
Australian Champion Racehorse of the Year(1992)
Honours
Australian Racing Hall of Fame Let's Elope Stakes
Last updated on 18 June 2007

Let's Elope(20 November 1987 – 11 September 2016) was aChampionThoroughbredracehorseinAustralia.

Background

Bred byHighview StudinHamilton, New Zealand,Let's Elope was a giantchestnutmarewho in 1991 became the first mare in more than 50 years to complete Australia's famedCaulfield Cup-Melbourne Cupdouble (the "Cups double" ). The last mare to complete the double had been Rivette in 1939.

By theBlushing GroomstallionNassipour,out of Sharon Jane, she was a NZ$16,000 purchase at the 1989 New ZealandMagic Millionssale. Originally trained byDave O'Sullivanfor the Fleiter family, she was un-raced as a two-year-old but won her first start as a three-year-old in 1990. Despite showing above-average ability, her record in New Zealand was underwhelming, and, on the advice of her trainer, the owners accepted a NZ$150,000 offer for her. Her new owners, Dennis Marks and Kevin White, transferred her to the Australian stables of the "Cups King",Bart Cummings.

Racing career

Let's Elope was close-up in her first two starts for Cummings, and, while down the track in the wet at Caulfield, was a different horse on top of the ground. In a superb season, Let's Elope began a seven-race winning streak in the Turnbull Stakes, on the first weekend of October, took the Mackinnon Stakes and both the Cups, and returned in the new year for the Orr Stakes, the St George Stakes, and the Australian Cup, in course record time, on Labour Day in March. Afetlockinjury then cut short her season, but Let's Elope had the 1992 Horse of the Year Award in her keeping.

She returned at five, and, while thwarted by wet tracks for much of the spring, won a match race withBetter Loosen Upat Caulfield and was narrowly defeated bySuper Imposein a classicCox Plate(after the race, she was relegated from second to fifth for cutting off the unlucky Better Loosen Up). Ten days later, Let's Elope was one of three scratchings from the Melbourne Cup. After ableeding attackin theJapan Cup,Let's Elope continued her career in theUnited States.

Conditioned in the U.S. byU.S. Racing Hall of FameinducteeRon McAnally,Let's Elope won a minor race on debut, and was first past the post in theGrade IBeverly D. Stakesin front ofFlawlesslybefore being relegated to third - under American rules, she was relegated for simply causing interference, not because the third horse would have beaten her home. The recurrence of a bleeding attack and a fractured cannon bone forced her retirement at the close of 1993.

At stud, Let's Elope had visited some of the world's greatest stallions, includingStorm Cat,and, while considered slightly disappointing, has produced the stakeswinner Ustinov (bySeeking The Gold), who was placed in a number of Group One races and Outback Joe (by Elvstroem) winner of the 2014Adelaide Cup.

Death

Let's Elope died in her sleep on 12 September 2016 at Lauriston Park,Euroa,Victoria, Australia.

Group 1 wins

Year	Race	Track	Distance (m)	Weight (kg)	Time	Jockey
1991	VATC Caulfield Cup	Caulfield	2400	48.5	2:30.30	Steven King
1991	VRC Mackinnon Stakes	Flemington	2000	54.5	2:01.80	Steven King
1991	VRC Melbourne Cup	Flemington	3200	51.0	3:18.90	Steven King
1992	VRC Australian Cup	Flemington	2000	55.5	2:00.00	Darren Beadman

Group 2 wins

Year	Race	Track	Distance (m)	Weight (kg)	Time	Jockey
1991	VRC Turnbull Stakes	Flemington	2000	50.0	2:01.90	Steven King
1992	VATC C.F.Orr Stakes	Sandown	1400	55.5	1:22.00	Steven King
1992	VATC St George Stakes	Caulfield	1800	55.5	1:48.50	Steven King

Group 3 wins

Year	Race	Track	Distance (m)	Weight (kg)	Time	Jockey
1991	MaRC Centaine Stakes	Awapuni (NZ)	2000	55.0	2:03.04	Darrel Lang

See also

• List of millionaire racehorses in Australia
• Thoroughbred racing in Australia
• Thoroughbred racing in New Zealand

References

• Let's Elope's pedigree and partial racing stats