Duryea Family Mourn Death of Stacey Lee

Mark Smith - Wednesday January 18

The mare that gave the Duryea family ‘greatest gifts and life-changing moments’ died on December 20.

Geoff Duryea revealed the sad news of the death of the Bel Esprit mare Stacey Lee on Twitter.

At Randwick last October, the Duryea family were revelling in the success of Stacey Lee’s prodigiously talented, if somewhat injury-prone, son Front Page in the $2,000,000 The Kosciuszko at Randwick.

Advertisement

The handsome chestnut son of Magnus has banked $1,346,925 from six wins and three seconds from 15 starts and includes a near three-length romp in the Listed VRC AR Creswick Stakes at Flemington as a 3yo.

No catching Front Page in Cresswick Stakes (Reg Ryan/Racing Photos)

Front Page is a year older brother to the highly-talented  News Girl. The winner of five and placed in four of her 18 starts with earnings of $339,800, News Girl finished second in the Group III Kevin Hayes Stakes and was nosed out by Sylvia’s Mother in the Listed  Bellmaine Stakes at Caulfield after winning her two previous starts on the track.

Stacey Lee has an unraced 3yo Dundeel filly named Deeling Aces, a $220,000 purchase for Wilde Racing Pty Ltd / Pinhook Bloodstock (FBAA) from the Riversdale draft at the 2021 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale.

Geoff Duryea is training Stacey Lee’s 2yo Rubick filly Group Chat.

Paul Duryea and Partners sold News Girl to Two Bays Farm for $375,000 at the 2021 Inglis September (Early) Online Sale.

Geoff Duryea purchased Stacey Lee for $20,000 out of the Baerami Thoroughbreds draft at the 2009 Inglis Australian Select Weanling Sale.

It proved money well spent as the daughter of the Varick mare Curio Jade, who placed in the Group 1 Queensland Classic and Listed Doomben Slipper, won five of her 20 starts while banking $73,257.

The last foal of Stacey Lee is a sister to Front Page and News Girl, which was foaled on September 18.

Advertisment
More Reading...
Proisir Stayer Wins $300,000 Beauford
Former Kiwi galloper Nikau Spur continues to provide Toowoomba trainers Corey and Kylie Geran with huge thrills and the momentum continued when scoring a last-stride victory in the Listed New Zealand Bloodstock Beauford (2300m) at Newcastle on Saturday. 
First G1 Winner for Brave Smash
The Group I MRC Sir Rupert Clark Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield on Saturday produced a first G1 winner for Yarraman Park based sire Hellbent last year when four year-old mare Magic Time took the prize and this year it was another Yarraman sire in Brave Smash (Jpn) taking the honours with his high class four year-old daughter Kimochi saluting for Yulong.
One To Watch - Geelong
After a luckless second at Bendigo on debut, the Spirit Of Boom gelding Hot Digity Boom made no mistake at start two over 1235m at Geelong on Sunday.
Sires With Winners - Saturday November 16
Here is the full list of 107 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Trans-Tasman Standouts Head Karaka Millions 3YO Order of Entry
Outstanding spring campaigns on opposite sides of the Tasman have propelled Bellatrix Star (Star Witness) and Savaglee (NZ) (Savabeel) to the top of the order of entry for the $1.5m TAB Karaka Millions 3YO (1600m).
2025 Inglis Classic Yearling Sale Catalogue Online
The catalogue for the 2025 Classic Yearling Sale – the best value yearling sale in the Southern Hemisphere – is now available online.
Star Fillies Clash in G1 NZ 1000 Guineas
Riccarton racegoers could be in for a treat on Saturday when they get to witness one of the burgeoning rivalries in New Zealand racing come to a head.
Too Darn Hot Running Hot at Canterbury
A competitive 1350m maiden for 3-year-olds to start the Canterbury night series with an impressive winner in Scorching Legend, who came with a barnstorming finish from last.
Another G1 Winner for Snitzel?
Well-bred filly Love Poem will take on some of the best of her generation for the second time in a week when she lines up in Saturday’s Gr.1 Barneswood Farm 52nd New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m) at Riccarton.
Kitty Flash Fancied by Forsman
Andrew Forsman has won every Group One race for three-year-olds in New Zealand apart from the Barneswood Farm New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m), and the Cambridge trainer hopes Kitty Flash might be the filly to give him his missing piece at Riccarton on Saturday.