What a sad day for thoroughbred racing with the passing of this fine champion mare.  She will be fondly remembered and greatly missed!

RIP Genuine Risk!

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RIP pretty girl, you lived a good life.  Now go enjoy the great pasture with the great ones- show them your heels like you did in the Derby!

I saw this mare run, I also saw Winning Colors, what beauties they both were. Style and class. I hope all of the people who are so negative towards horse racing will remember this mare and let her go to the pasture in Heaven without harsh words. I'm sure many of us will be joining them someday soon and I for one plan to attend their heavenly races in my finest hat!

We lost one more of the great of the turf.She willed be missed

What a sad day! What a great horse! I saw her win the Derby and screamed as hard for her as I did Secretariat! Couldn't talk for a week, either time!

 Its always a sad day when we lose one of the truly great champions of our sport.  The was the queen of the "Decade of Champions". A truly great era of racing.  RIP Beautiful one.  Its nice you had a great life.

Where are her two off-spring? What happened to them? Are there pictures?

Scot's reply:  The Pedigree Online Thoroughbred Database give a little information about Genuine Risk's two sons.  Genuine Reward stood several years as a stallion but isn't covering many Thoroughbred mares this year; The Jockey Club registered only one 2007 foal, the first since 2004. Genuine Risk's 1996 foal, Count Our Blessing, was gelded.

What a decade for the ladies!  Genuine Risk, Lady's Secret, Winning Colors, Bayakoa, and Paseanna...to name a few.

Back in 1993, I was very fortunate to work with Winning Colors and Genuine Risk.  What made it even more special was the successful delivery and survival of Genuine Risk's baby.  To be in the presence of these two amazing fillies was something I will never forget!  

The Firestone's care for their champion is an example for all owners in the sport.  While she raced through 1981, I see Genuine Risk as a member of that illustrious crop of the 1970's, horse racing's shining championship season.  Her passing now closes that era.

She was one of the few mares that had the big boys trembling in her wake.  RIP sweetheart...

Genuine Risk like Affirmed who were both sired by Exclusive Native were my all time favourites.

I cannot think of two gentler thoroughbreds.Affirmed had four Canadian Champions.Genuine Risk's Kentucky Derby win was aptly referred to as Ladies day at Churchill, and no filly will ever duplicate her accomplishments in the Kentucky Derby, Preakness and

Belmont.

What a grand filly! She lived a full life and we were blessed to be here to enjoy her. Thank you Genuine Risk. Enjoy your eternal green pastures.

silent fan, Here's hoping you're cheering their sisterhood here on Earth for many, many years. As for the great ladies, Winning Colors, Eight Belles and now Genuine Risk you'll all wear the Crown up there.

Scot,

Thanks

Genuine Risk was one classy filly.  I still cherish and display a poster of her in my computer room - it is comprised of three pictures, one going to the post, another of her driving to the finish line, and the last wearing the blanket of roses.  Its title sums it up perfectly:  "The lady is a champ."  Farewell, beautiful girl - you sure gave us all a thrilling triple crown in 1980.  Rest in peace.  

I worked for a Horse Supplement company several years ago and had the chance to supply some help in getting Genuine Risk in foal.  Her managers loved that great mare and did only the best for her. She was one of the fortunate ones who spent her life with good compassionate owners and care givers.Rest in Peace super champion.

Condolences to the Firestone's.  What a great thing they did giving that mare a wonderful FULL life.  Even though it must've been so disappointing that she never produced a filly, they continued to care for her in a manner fit for a true Champion.  What a wonderfully lucky mare GENUINE RISK was to be owned by such caring and respectful people. An example for all.  

This is indeed sad news, she was a great champion.  An associate of mine owns the second of Genuine Risk's foals.  Now named Wesley, he is stabled in NY and is living happily in his role as an equestrian.  I haven't yet made good on the offer to ride him.

You forgot to mention she was second in the Preakness and Belmont, first or second in the TC series...very few colts have ever done that.

Great ones don`t die..they live in our minds

 go in peace..thanks for your gifts

I will never forget the day we met in person...  even in your teens, you still were the classiest of a very very top class group of mares.

RIP Jenny.

This grand filly actually raced in the second race at Saratoga in what I believe was her last race. I was amazed that the Derby winner was part of the daily double??? Naturally she won.

I really do believe that Genuine Risk was really one of the best fillies ever seen on the track!! She had a good life and that's really all you can ask for! It was a sad day for me to see her go, but it's life and unexpected things happen! Rest in Peace to a great Champion!!!

Scot: I just put this on her memory wall. Take one good mare to Genuine Reward. If he has a full crop maybe one will be a racehorse. Don't let her legacy die with her. I'd do it in a heartbeat.

Its a sad day when the turf world loses one of our brightest stars.  She was the queen, a long lasting tribute to an era of which champions lasted forever... Goodbye sweetheart we'll never forget you

I attended the Derby in 1980 and saw this beautiful girl win.  She clearly was the best three year old that spring.

The long happy life she lead is a testament to the love and care the Firestone's gave her.

RIP my beautiful Genuine Risk and thank you for making my first Derby a thrilling one.

To Newstead and the Firestone family -- Thank you for sharing your champion with us. It is a sad day for all of us who adored her, but there is great comfort in knowing she lived long and well. Once again we watch a champion as she streaks across the last wire and disappears into the mists of history. Genuine Risk, your majesty - it's been a privilege to know you.

She was truly one of the immortals. Also, she survived Leroy Jolley's training - he didn't believe in coddling his horses.  Actually, I think it helped that she was trained by a guy who didn't mind "tightening the screws" on the good ones.  He prepared her for the rigors of the Triple Crown knowing that if she couldn't stand his tough training she certainly wouldn't be able to compete with the colts.  Truly a great, great filly.

It's so sad when these horses die like we've seen in the last couple months with Winning Colors, Vindication, Genuine Risk and the news today on the death of Bowman's Band.

I had the good pleasure to take my little sister to see Genuine Risk shortly after she left Kentucky for the Firestone's farm in Virginia.  Mrs. Firestone was quite gracious in letting us visit and of course Genuine Risk was also beautiful as can be.  I still show a framed picture of my sis' and Genuine Risk from that day.  

I feel like it's the end of an era. Genuine Risk was a champion. I am so sorry for the loss of this wonderful mare. I remember cheering her on as I watched the races on TV years ago. She lived a wonderfully long life, and that says so much about her caregivers. My condolences to the families involved.

I am so sad that she is gone. Genuine Risk was the first Kentucky Derby I ever watched. I have a Fred Stone plate of her hanging on my wall to this day. My sincerest condolences to all the people who were lucky enough to know her to the end.

What a sad day.  I still remember that Kentucky Derby!  And i will never forget tha beautiful lady.

My father and I were honored to be granted a visit with Genuine Risk in the summer of 2005.  We could not believe she was 28 years old because of her fabulous condition.  She was also a sweetheart.  We were completely awed.  I showed my 25-year-old scrapbook of yellowed Genuine Risk clippings to farm manager Buck Moore, who seemed quite taken with it.  He even called out the other farm staff to look at it.  I couldn't believe it when Buck let us walk Genuine Risk around ourselves and take lots of photographs.  I hesitated to ask him for a few of Genuine Risk's tail hairs as a souvenir, but he gladly obliged.  It was great to have met Genuine Risk and to see not only what a sweet horse she was, but what a wonderful life she was leading.  My condolences to Buck, the Firestones and everyone at Newstead Farm who loved Genuine Risk.

Goodbye to a great Champion. I saw her race and without a doubt she would have whipped this years Derby winner. They don't make them like they used to. Rest in peace, your place in history is forever.

She was clearly one of the best fillies to ever step foot on a race track.  She had it all,  stamina, soundness, determination, athletic ability like no other, all in a beautifully refined work of art called Genuine Risk. She was one of a kind!  Farewll great lady.

I will ALWAYS cherish this Grand Gal and Thank You to the Firestone's for giving her and wonderful life.

My father Marvin Greene was yearling manager for Catoctin Stud after a brilliant career as a trainer (ask any old racetraker) when Genuine Risk arrived. He broke her and had her ready for Leroy, and his love for her never vanished. My father is 83 years old and until last week, would visit his "girl" at Newstead where upon seeing him, she would mosey over to him as he had a familiar peppermint ready for her along with a loving touch and a "Good ol' girl" My father has been around hundreds of horses, and champions, including Sword Dancer, the great Columncille and Ballet Rose, he always said Genuine Risk was the "toughest little hussey" he'd ever seen. My heart goes out to the Firestones, who like us, have lost a member of the family. Sweet dreams princess, enjoy the roses.