Serengeti Empress (foaled January 30, 2016) is an American Thoroughbred racehorse and broodmare best known for winning the 2019 Kentucky Oaks and 2020 Ballerina Stakes. Trained throughout her racing career by Tom Amoss for owner Joel Politi, she won seven of 19 starts and earned US$2,175,653. Her other major victories included the Pocahontas Stakes, Rachel Alexandra Stakes, and Azeri Stakes. She also placed in the Acorn Stakes, Test Stakes, Breeders' Cup Distaff, and Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint.Meredith Daugherty, " Serengeti Empress Arrives at Taylor Made Farm", BloodHorse, November 16, 2020.
Pedigree and training
Serengeti Empress was bred in Kentucky by Tri Eques Bloodstock LLC, a partnership that included Jacob West, Mike Hartig, and Val Henson. She was sired by Alternation, a son of Distorted Humor who won the Peter Pan Stakes, Oaklawn Handicap, Razorback Handicap, and Pimlico Special. Her dam, Havisham, was an unraced daughter of Bernardini."He's Bred Exactly One Horse, And She Won the Kentucky Oaks", Thoroughbred Daily News, May 2019.
Serengeti Empress was sold for $25,000 as a weanling at the 2016 Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale. She returned to Keeneland the following year, where Amoss purchased her for $70,000 at the 2017 September Yearling Sale on behalf of Politi.Keeneland Association, sales and racing records for Serengeti Empress.Tom Pedulla, " Breeders' Cup Hopeful Serengeti Empress a Gift That Keeps Giving", Breeders' Cup/America's Best Racing, 2019.
Amoss later said that he was attracted to the filly's shoulder and hindquarters despite Alternation's relatively modest commercial status at the time. He also described Serengeti Empress as an intelligent horse who adapted quickly to successive stages of training.
Racing career
2018: two-year-old season
Serengeti Empress made her racing debut at Indiana Grand on July 4, 2018, winning a maiden special weight race by lengths. She subsequently finished fourth in the Schuylerville Stakes at Saratoga Race Course. She returned to win the Ellis Park Debutante Stakes by lengths.Sara Dacus, " Heroes of Churchill Downs: Serengeti Empress", Churchill Downs/TwinSpires, March 27, 2023.
In September she contested the Grade 2 Pocahontas Stakes at Churchill Downs. Racing on the lead, Serengeti Empress drew away to win by lengths. She concluded her juvenile season by finishing seventh in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies.
2019: three-year-old season
Serengeti Empress began her three-year-old season in the Grade 2 Rachel Alexandra Stakes at Fair Grounds Race Course, where she led throughout and won by lengths. She was favored for the Grade 2 Fair Grounds Oaks on March 23, but bled during the race and was eased before being taken from the track by horse ambulance.Evan Hammonds, "Serengeti Empress on the Hunt in Fair Grounds Oaks", BloodHorse, March 2019."Nine talented 3-year-old fillies converge on Belmont Park for Grade 1 Acorn", New York Racing Association, June 4, 2019.
Following the Fair Grounds Oaks, Amoss monitored the filly's recovery before deciding whether to proceed to the Kentucky Oaks. A series of workouts at Churchill Downs, including a five-furlong workout in 58.20 seconds on April 23, persuaded her connections to enter the race.Churchill Downs Communications, Kentucky Oaks training notes, April 23, 2019.
In the Kentucky Oaks on May 3, Serengeti Empress started at odds of 13–1 under jockey José Ortiz. Breaking from post 13, she went to the lead soon after the start and remained in front throughout the race. She defeated Liora by lengths in 1:50.17, giving both Amoss and Ortiz their first Kentucky Oaks victories.Churchill Downs Communications, " Serengeti Empress Wins 145th Longines Kentucky Oaks Before Crowd of 105,719", May 4, 2019.
In June, Serengeti Empress finished second to Guarana in the Grade 1 Acorn Stakes after setting fractions of 21.89 seconds for the opening quarter-mile and 43.99 for the half-mile."Guarana sets G1 Acorn Stakes record in second start", New York Racing Association, June 8, 2019. She was again second in August in the Grade 1 Test Stakes, losing to Covfefe by half a length. After finishing sixth in the Cotillion Stakes, she faced older fillies and mares for the first time in the Breeders' Cup Distaff, where she finished third behind Blue Prize and Midnight Bisou." Pure Prize's Blue Prize Upsets Midnight Bisou in the Distaff", Thoroughbred Daily News, November 2019.
2020: four-year-old season
Serengeti Empress opened her four-year-old campaign with a second-place finish in the Grade 3 Houston Ladies Classic Stakes. On March 14 she won the Grade 2 Azeri Stakes at Oaklawn Park by lengths.
After two subsequent losses in route races, Amoss shortened her to seven furlongs for the Grade 1 Ballerina Stakes at Saratoga on August 8. Ridden by Luis Sáez, Serengeti Empress moved to the lead soon after the start and defeated Bellafina by one length in 1:21.63. The victory earned her an automatic spot in the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint."Serengeti Empress proves intractable in Ballerina presented by NYRA Bets", New York Racing Association, August 8, 2020.
In September, she finished second by a nose to Bell's the One in the Grade 1 Derby City Distaff Stakes at Churchill Downs. She made her final start in the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint at Keeneland on November 7. Serengeti Empress led early before being overtaken by Gamine and finished second.Breeders' Cup, official results of the 2020 Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint.
Serengeti Empress was retired following the Breeders' Cup with seven wins, five second-place finishes, and one third from 19 starts. Her earnings totaled $2,175,653.
Breeding career
Following her retirement, Serengeti Empress returned to Taylor Made Farm in Kentucky, where she had been raised. Politi retained her as a broodmare rather than offering her at public auction. Her first mating was with Into Mischief.
Her first foal, a colt by Into Mischief named Invictus, was born in 2022. Invictus was offered at the 2023 Keeneland September Yearling Sale and sold for $1.2 million. He entered training with Brad H. Cox and became Serengeti Empress's first winner when he won a seven-furlong maiden special weight at Keeneland on April 8, 2025."Invictus, First Foal Out of Oaks Winner Serengeti Empress, Graduates at Keeneland", Thoroughbred Daily News, April 8, 2025.
Serengeti Empress subsequently produced Kilimanjaro, a dark bay colt by Curlin, on January 23, 2024.Thoroughbred Daily News, February 27, 2024. She produced a third colt, by Not This Time, in 2025. As of February 2026, Politi reported that Serengeti Empress had three foals, all colts, and was barren for the 2026 foaling season. She was scheduled to be bred to Gun Runner in 2026.Joel Politi, "2026 Mating Plans: Joel Politi", Thoroughbred Daily News, February 19, 2026.
Pedigree
Serengeti Empress is by Alternation, whose sire Distorted Humor was a leading American stallion and the sire of Funny Cide. Her dam, Havisham, is by Bernardini, winner of the Preakness Stakes, Travers Stakes, and Jockey Club Gold Cup. Havisham's dam, Love Dancing, was a Group 3 winner in Argentina and was third in the UAE Oaks.Alan Porter, "Serengeti Empress Shows Stamina for Alternation", BloodHorse Daily, September 19, 2018.
Through Alternation's female family and Bernardini's sire A.P. Indy, Serengeti Empress is inbred 3 × 4 to Seattle Slew.
References