Fighting Mad

Fighting Mad began her career with a victory by a nose in August 2018 at Del Mar. She returned to the races eight months later and won an allowance race at Churchill Downs by a length April 30. Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert then entered her in the Grade 3 Adena Springs Miss Preakness Stakes May 17 and she encountered trouble early and faded late to finish seventh, beaten by 24 ¼ lengths. Baffert later said he made a mistake and brought her back too quickly after her 3-year-old debut, and Fighting Mad was much better in her next race when running second by three-quarters of a length in an allowance-optional claiming race July 19 at Del Mar.

Fighting Mad returned to stakes competition and stretched out in distance for the first time in the Grade 3, one-mile Torrey Pines Stakes Aug. 17 at Del Mar. Fighting Mad seized command early in the Torrey Pines, set an uncontested pace, and then shook free to a runaway eight-length victory.

Fighting Mad did not return to racing for nine months, and was disqualified from third and placed fourth in the Grade 3 Desert Stormer Stakes at Santa Anita in her comeback on May 17, 2020. One start later, she scored a 10.10-1 upset over Hard Not to Love and 3-5 favorite Ce Ce in the Grade 2 Santa Maria Stakes on May 31, leading all the way under Abel Cedillo and winning by 3 ¼ lengths.

In her next start, Fighting Mad faced both of those foes again plus 2019 Clement L. Hirsch Stakes winner Ollie’s Candy in the 2020 renewal of the Hirsch at Del Mar on Aug. 2. Cedillo once again sent his filly straight to the lead and she held off a late challenge from Ollie’s Candy to win by a half-length, earning an automatic berth to the Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic at Keeneland in November.

By 2013 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile winner New Year’s Day, Fighting Mad is out of the winning Forestry mare Smokey’s Love.