Nihilator's dam dies at age 33

Margie’s Melody, dam of world champion multi-millionaire Nihilator, died this morning at Winbak Farm at age 33.

 

Margie’s Melody was by Bret Hanover out of the Meadow Skipper mare Pretty Margie. As a racehorse she made $94,303 and paced in 1:55.4.  Nihilator was her first foal, by the world champion Niatross.

 

Nihilator was the most successful son of Niatross, winning 12 out of 13 starts at two, losing only once to Dragon’s Lair, and winning 23 of 25 starts at three. As a 3-year-old Nihilator won the Meadowlands Pace, Little Brown Jug, Breeders Crown, Tattersalls Pace, Bluegrass Stake, and the James Dancer Memorial, resulting in him named the 1985 Horse of the Year. By the end of his 3-year-old year Nihilator had a mark of 1:49.3 and made $3,225,653.

 

Margie’s Melody continued on as a broodmare, never quite topping her first efforts. In the winter of 1998 Winbak Farm purchased Margie’s Melody at a sale.

 

"She had not carried a foal for a few years, but we took a chance on her because she was such a nice mare," said Winbak Farm owner Joe Thomson. "For some reason that year, she immediately caught and carried full term. We were only able to get two foals out of Margie since we have had her, but she is such a classy, top mare, we could breed her to whatever we wanted.”

 

One of those two foals is the Winbak stallion Veeza, by Western Hanover, who has a mark of 1:51.2s but was lightly raced due to a training accident. The other is currently a Winbak mare, Margie’s Song, by Albatross.

 

Margie’s Melody, affectionately called Margie on the farm, was retired shortly after having Veeza, to Winbak Farm of Delaware where she lived out her remaining years. (Winbak)