LEXINGTON, Ky. - Banshee Breeze, 1998's champion 3-year-old filly, was euthanized Wednesday afternoon at Lexington's Hagyard Davidson McGee veterinary clinic after complications related to uterine and intestinal torsion.

Her first foal, a Storm Cat colt produced by cesarean section, also died Wednesday at the clinic.

An Unbridled mare, owned in partnership by James Tafel and Richard Santulli's Jayeff B Stables, Banshee Breeze was 6.

Banshee Breeze, who was boarded at the Hancock family's Claiborne Farm in Paris, Ky., was discovered to have a torsion of the uterus, which was surgically corrected at the clinic on Sunday night, according to Gus Koch, manager at Claiborne. The following morning, she showed signs of discomfort, and veterinarians discovered that she had developed a torsion of the small intestine. A second operation to correct that problem required the colt, who was 19 days premature, to be removed by cesarean, Koch said.

On Wednesday at approximately noon, Banshee Breeze's condition deteriorated and she was euthanized shortly thereafter.

"It was hard to lose her," said Koch. "She was by Unbridled, one of our stallions, and a champion racemare. She was a courageous mare, and she was in foal to the leading sire in the world. We're devastated at the loss of her and her potential as a broodmare, and we feel terribly sorry for the owners. She received excellent care, and everything possible was done for her."

Banshee Breeze was buried in Claiborne Farm's historic cemetery along with some of the era's great mares, including Con Game, the dam of Seeking the Gold who died in March at age 27; Special, the dam of champion and top sire Nureyev; and Pure Profit, the dam of champion Inside Information and Grade 1 winner Educated Risk.

Trained by Carl Nafzger, Banshee Breeze won 10 of her 18 career starts, including five Grade 1 races. During her championship 1998 season, she won 10 of 16 races and never finished worse than third. Her most dazzling performances came in the Grade 1 Alabama, where she won by six lengths, and in the Grade 1 Spinster, where she romped in by 12.

The following year, Banshee Breeze enjoyed a four-race winning streak, taking the Grade 1 Go for Wand, Grade 3 Fleur de Lis, Grade 1 Apple Blossom, and Grade 2 Rampart in succession. After ending her season with three second-place runs, she retired with a record of 18-10-5-2 and earnings of $2,784,798.

Banshee Breeze was the first foal for her dam, Grade 2-placed winner Banshee Winds (Known Fact). In 2000, Banshee Winds produced a full-sister to Banshee Breeze, a chestnut Unbridled filly.