What Happened to Landaluce?

Landaluce, a dark bay or brown filly, was foaled on April 11, 1980, by Triple Crown winner Seattle Slew and out of the Bold Bidder mare Strip Poker. Purchased for $650,000 at the 1981 Keeneland July yearling sale by Lloyd R. French and Barry Beal, she was trained by future Hall of Famer D. Wayne Lukas and ridden by Hall of Fame jockey Laffit Pincay, Jr. Her racing career, though brief, was nothing short of spectacular. Debuting on July 3, 1982, at Hollywood Park, she quickly established herself as a phenomenon, winning her maiden race and then the Hollywood Lassie Stakes by an astonishing 21 lengths, a record for a two-year-old at the track.

Throughout her 1982 campaign, Landaluce remained undefeated in five starts, capturing the Del Mar Debutante Stakes, Anoakia Stakes, and the Grade 1 Oak Leaf Stakes. Her combined margin of victory across these races was an impressive 46½ lengths, often achieved with minimal urging from her jockey. Her brilliance captivated racing fans, who created 'I Love Luce' merchandise and often kept her winning tickets as souvenirs. Many in the racing world believed she was destined for even greater achievements, with some comparing her to legendary fillies like Ruffian and even speculating about a Kentucky Derby run.

However, her promising career was tragically cut short. On November 22, 1982, Landaluce fell ill with colitis X, a severe bacterial infection that had also affected her sire, Seattle Slew. Despite intensive veterinary care, she rapidly weakened and died on November 28, 1982, at the age of two, with trainer D. Wayne Lukas by her side. Her death sent shockwaves through the racing community and was even reported on national news, a rarity for a racehorse at the time. Posthumously, she was awarded the American Champion Two-Year-Old Filly title for 1982.

Landaluce's enduring legacy is primarily marked by the Hollywood Lassie Stakes being renamed the Landaluce Stakes in her honor in 1983. This race, for two-year-old fillies, was initially held at Hollywood Park and later transferred to Santa Anita Park after Hollywood Park's closure in 2013. Her original burial site was in the infield at Hollywood Park, but her remains were moved to Spendthrift Farm in Kentucky, her birthplace, following the track's closure. The Landaluce Stakes itself was last contested on July 2, 2017, and has since been discontinued. Trainer D. Wayne Lukas often spoke of the profound impact her death had on him, describing it as a traumatizing loss early in his career. As of March 24, 2026, Landaluce remains a poignant symbol of extraordinary talent lost too soon, frequently remembered in historical retrospectives of great racehorses.