Tickle Me Pink - One in a Million Horse

By Dave Di Somma - Harness News Desk

Trotting star “Tickle Me Pink” has run her last race, her future now will be as a broodmare.

The four-year-old bay mare pulled up with muscle soreness after a lacklustre ninth on February 21 at Cambridge with subsequent investigations finding “multiple hotspots”.

Breeders Breckon Farms saying the decision just made sense.

“Extended rest could have seen her race again but given the depth of her CV and the battles she'd already overcome it was decided it was in the mare’s best interest to retire her.”   

In 2018 “Tickle” nearly died after suffering from travel sickness during a trip to Australia.

She made a triumphant and emotional return to the track, winning the Group 2 Sires Stakes Championships. 

Champion reinsman Tony Herlihy trained and drove her in all 16 starts, winning nine of them, including the Group 1 3YO Harness Jewels.  She won $160,174 in stakes.

She also set a New Zealand record of 2.07.2 over 1700 metres at Cambridge.

Crtitical to the horse’s success was Chanelle Lawson.

Chanelle said, “I feel so grateful to have been part of her story. She was a pleasure to do anything with and it won’t be the same without her around.

She took me on the ride of a lifetime and for that reason will forever be my “One In A Million”. 

“Tickle” will now join her mother Luby Ann in the broodmare band at Breckon Farms base at Ohaupo.