Grade 1 Spinaway winner Hot Dixie Chick dies at age 18

Hot Dixie Chick, winner of the Grade 1 Spinaway Stakes in 2009 and a standout broodmare, died at age 18 due to complications from colic.

Her death was announced Friday in a Facebook post from Stonestreet Farms, who bred many of her foals.

Hot Dixie Chick was a daughter of Dixie Union out of the In Excess mare Above Perfection. She set a new five-furlong dirt track record of 56.48 seconds in her maiden win at Churchill Downs in June of 2009, which she achieved at second asking. She went on to win both the Schuylerville (G3) and the Spinaway at age 2. She won the Prima Donna Stakes at Oaklawn at age 3, and was also twice Grade 3-placed as a sophomore.

Hot Dixie Chick was a half-sister to Always Dreaming, winner of the 2017 Kentucky Derby. Five of her foals have won so far, and she has a yearling colt by Flightline as well. The most accomplished is Pauline's Pearl, a Tapit daughter who won six graded-stakes races including the 2022 La Troienne (G1) at Churchill Downs. She also produced Grade 3-placed son Union Jackson, who stood stud in New York and produced stakes winners Jackson Heights and Kisses for Emily. Both Pauline's Pearl and Union Jackson raced in the colors of Stonestreet Stables.