The 5-year-old daughter of Silver Hawk fractured her left hock when she kicked the wall of her pen at about 5:30 a.m. and was unable to be saved, said Hollywood Park spokesman Mike Mooney.

Trainer Carla Gaines released a one-paragraph statement late in the morning.

"In a freak accident at 5:30 a.m. this morning at Hollywood Park, Nashoba’s Key kicked the wall of her pen and broke her hind leg," she said. "She was euthanized shortly thereafter. She brought a lot of joy to everyone’s lives that were lucky enough to be associated with her and we will all miss her very much."

 

Bred in California by Warren B. Williamson out of the Caerleon mare Nashoba, Nashoba’s Key gave Williamson a string of victories that began with seven consecutive wins in 2007. She won the 2007 Milady’s Breeders�?Cup Handicap (gr. II) and Vanity Handicap (gr. I) on Hollywood’s Cushion Track after three wins on the turf.

 

Nashoba’s Key followed those with victories in the Clement L. Hirsch Handicap (gr. II) on Polytrack at Del Mar and the Yellow Ribbon Stakes (gr. IT) on turf at Oak Tree before losing her first race when fourth in the Emirates Airlines Breeders�?Cup Filly & Mare Turf (gr. IT) at Monmouth Park. She finished second in the Eclipse Award balloting for champion female turf horse of 2007 to Lahudood.

 

Gaines then gave Nashoba’s Key some time off and brought her back to finish second in the Jan. 26 Sunshine Millions Filly & Mare Turf at Santa Anita. Nashoba’s Key made what would be her final start March 9, a victory in the Santa Margarita Handicap (gr. IT), also at Santa Anita. She was being freshened for a summer and fall campaign.

Nashoba's Key won eight of 10 lifetime starts and earned $1,252,090.