Tabasco Cat, who won the 1994 Preakness (gr. I) and Belmont (gr. I) Stakes as a homebred for William T. Young and David Reynolds, died at the age of 13 at the Japan Bloodstock Breeders' Association's Shizunai Stallion Station in Japan. He died from a heart attack while in the breeding shed..

Tabasco Cat was bred on a foal share arrangement between the two men. Young, who died Jan. 12, provided the services of the stallion Storm Cat, and Reynolds the services of the mare Barbicue Sauce (by Sauce Boat).

Tabasco Cat seemed to have the numbers for an Eclipse Award as best 3-year-old male. Trained by D. Wayne Lukas, Tabasco Cat not only beat Kentucky Derby (gr. I) winner Go for Gin in the Preakness and Belmont, but also came within a neck of winning the Breeders' Cup Classic (gr. I). His other added-money wins that year came in the San Rafael (gr. II) and Kentucky Cup Classic Stakes and the El Camino Real Derby (gr. III).

But it was his loss to Holy Bull in the Travers Stakes (gr. I) at Saratoga that sealed his fate. Holy Bull beat older horses in two of his five grade I wins that year and was both champion 3-year-old male and Horse of the Year.

As a 2-year-old, Tabasco Cat nearly killed Lukas' son, assistant trainer Jeff Lukas, by running him down. Tabasco Cat had gotten loose one morning, and Lukas tried to stop him. He planted himself in the path of the runaway colt, who slammed into him. Lukas suffered a fractured skull and brain damage.

Tabasco Cat was retired after his 3-year-old season with eight wins from 18 starts and earnings of $2,347,671. As a 2-year-old, he won the Fort Springs Stakes at Keeneland and ran third in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile (gr. I).

Tabasco Cat entered stud at Young's Overbrook Farm near Lexington in 1995 and stood there until the JBBA bought him for $7 million in the fall of 2000. At the time, he had sired four stakes winners.

Following his exportation, things heated up in a big way. Tabasco Cat's son Snow Ridge became one of North America's top sprinters, and a daughter, Habibti, one of the best 2-year-olds fillies of 2001. She won the Hollywood Starlet Stakes (gr. I) and Del Mar Debutante Stakes (gr. I). There also were grade II winners in Cat's At Home, Freefourinternet, and Spice Island, plus grade III winners in Perfect Cat and Raylene (in Canada). To date, Tabasco Cat is represented by 21 stakes winners.

Copyright © 1905-2004 The Blood-Horse, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Published in the Nov. 10 issue of The Blood-Horse
Nureyev was one of those horses whose stratospheric yearling price of $1.3 million in 1978 and championship status on the racetrack earned plenty of attention. That type of attention was nothing compared to the type of admiration he later earned for his many accomplishments at stud and for coming back from a life-threatening injury.

A son of the great stallion Northern Dancer, Nureyev has sired 130 stakes winners, 20-plus champions, and has a son in Theatrical who ranks as one of North America's top turf stallions. All that while experiencing fertility problems for much of his career.

Nureyev, who stood his first year in France, spent his final 19 years in Lexington, first at Walmac-Warnerton Farm, then Walmac International, prior to his death Oct. 29 at age 24. Under the management of Walmac owner John T.L. Jones Jr., Nureyev developed a lasting reputation as a sire of all types of celebrated grass runners.

"He started out mostly with milers," Jones said. "Then he got an (Epsom) Oaks (Eng-I) winner, an Arc (Fr-I) winner, several 2-year-old (champions), and sprinters. He got results all across the board."

Wowing Them at Keeneland

Nureyev was bred by the Hancock family's Claiborne Farm and foaled five days before Seattle Slew won the 1977 Kentucky Derby (gr. I). Fourteen months later, the smallish colt was part of the Claiborne consignment at the Keeneland July yearling sale and was one of 10 Northern Dancers catalogued. The third foal from the Forli mare Special, Nureyev was a half-brother to Irish champion 2-year-old filly Fairy Bridge and to another 2-year-old winner. The quality in the female family went all the way back to champions Gamely, Moccasin, Ridan, and Thatch under third dam Rough Shod II.

The bidding started shockingly low at $20,000 for a colt that many had figured would fetch at least $275,000. It kept moving up slowly before Joss Collins of the British Bloodstock Agency London took up the chase against the BBA Ireland. The latter group went as high as $1.25 million, but Collins won out with a $1.3-million bid on behalf of Greek shipping magnate Stavros Niarchos. It was the most paid for a yearling since Secretariat's son Canadian Bound sold for $1.5 million at the 1976 Keeneland sale.

Sent to England to be trained, Nureyev later was transferred to French conditioner Francois Boutin. He made his sole start as a 2-year-old in the Prix Thomas Bryon (Fr-III) at Saint-Cloud in November and drew off to win by six lengths. The performance was good enough for a joint-second-place ranking on the French Free Handicap.

Nureyev, who was named for a famous Russian dancer, reappeared the following April and won the Prix Djebel in his 3-year-old debut. His performance in his next start, the English Two Thousand Guineas (Eng-I), turned out to be a show of force, as he went through a wall of horses rather than around them, and was disqualified and placed last. It was the first time a Guineas winner had been disqualified.

Niarchos and Boutin next set their sights on the Epsom Derby (Eng-I) in June, but a virus kept Nureyev out of the race. Nureyev never raced again, but that didn't keep French handicappers from assigning him top weight on the 3-year-old Free Handicap for milers.

Nureyev, who retired with $42,018 in earnings, entered stud in 1981 at Niarchos' Haras de Fresnay-le-Buffard in France. His stay there was short-lived. Jones, who at that time was general manager and part owner of Walmac-Warnerton, took notice in Nureyev after he was advised about the young stallion's potential by French horsemen Alec Head and Roland de Chambure. In the summer of 1981, Jones spearheaded the effort to acquire Nureyev and syndicated him into 40 shares worth a total in excess of $14 million.

As events unfolded, Nureyev turned out to be "a North American stallion" in name only. With the exception of Theatrical and several others, Nureyev's offspring overwhelmingly distinguished themselves in Europe in group I championship-bearing races. It turned out to be quite a run for a stallion that many thought was a physically moderate individual.

European Foals

Nureyev's first full crop (he had one foal from a test mating as a 3-year-old) included eight 2-year-old winners from 24 foals. Theatrical was one of them, but it wasn't until his 5-year-old season that he found his best stride. Theatrical, who received a boost of stamina in his pedigree by way of his Arc-winning broodmare sire Sassafras, captured the 1987 Breeders' Cup Turf (gr. IT) over that year's Arc winner Trempolino in one of his six grade I victories that year. He was an easy choice for champion grass male.

Theatrical, who earned $2.9 million in his career, hasn't missed a beat during his years as a stallion. He has sired 56 stakes winners, and his 2002 fee of $80,000 at Hill 'n'Dale Farms near Lexington ranks with the top turf stallions.

The same year Theatrical won the Turf, Nureyev's daughter Miesque won the Breeders' Cup Mile (gr. IT) in course-record time. A homebred for Niarchos, she scored a repeat win the following year, and during her career earned two Eclipse Awards as well as several championships in France and England. Her offspring as a broodmare include classic winner and major sire Kingmambo, plus champion East of the Moon.

The year 1987 also marked a turning point for Nureyev. He fractured his right hind leg just below his hock during breeding season. Walmac veterinarian Dr. J.D. Howard later told The Blood-Horse that the injured area "was just like a swivel. It just flopped. I thought, 'There's no way.' "

Nureyev underwent surgery in which four screws were inserted and he was outfitted with a cast. His chances for survival were pegged at 10%, but that was before additional problems surfaced--screws broke off, discomfort in the injured areas, respiratory infection, fears of colitis, etc. Doing everything possible, Howard and his team managed to save Nureyev, and the horse was able to stand the following year's breeding season.

Nureyev's foals born in the 1990s included many stars, but it was Spinning World and Peintre Celebre who stood out. Spinning World, a champion in France and Ireland, won four European group I mile races and took the 1997 Breeders' Cup Mile in course-record-equaling time a year after running second in the race.

Peintre Celebre won the 1997 Arc de Triomphe at 1 1/2 miles in course-record time and earlier took the French Derby (Fr-I) at the same distance. He was France's champion 3-year-old. Nureyev was France's leading sire that year by progeny earnings.

Nureyev's Epsom Oaks winner also came along in 1997. Reams of Verse, who was England's champion 2-year-old filly the year before, captured the 1 1/2-mile race.

Nureyev's other career champions include English Horse of the Year Zilzal, Sonic Lady, Fasliyev, Soviet Star, and Stately Don, who won the Secretariat Stakes (gr. IT) and a division of the Hollywood Derby (gr. IT) in the U.S. One of Nureyev's sons, Robin des Bois, is the sire of Walmac stallion Gentlemen.

The list of Nureyev's North American standouts also runs deep. His son Skimming has won the last two runnings of the Pacific Classic Stakes (gr. I), and another, grade I winner Atticus, set a world record for a mile on grass. Nureyev's percentage of stakes winners stands at 18%.

Nureyev was buried at Walmac near two-time Arc winner Alleged and dual U.S. classic winner Risen Star.

Champion sire End Sweep was euthanized July 12 at the Shadai Horse Clinic in Japan. The decision of the joint owners representing Australia's Arrowfield Stud and Shadai Stallion Station was made after they were informed by the clinic's head, Dr. Masaaki Tagami, that the 11 year-old horse had "gone down" and could not regain his feet.

 

"There was no other option but to have End Sweep euthanized immediately on humane grounds," said John Messara. The Arrowfield chariman said the horse's prognosis had gone from positive to hopeless in a matter of days.

 

"As a growth pressured his spine, it left him as a virtual wobbler," Messara said.

End Sweep was well into his book of around 100 mares when he flipped over at Shadai Farms in late May. He "knocked down" his withers in the fall, but appeared to be recovering well until around seven days before his death. X-rays taken as his recovery faltered revealed no abnormality.

 

As it was explained to Messara and Arrowfield's chief veterinary surgeon, Dr. Mark Wylie, an undetected soft-tissue injury, possibly an abscess or tumor, developed deep under the withers. It placed increasing pressure on the horse's spinal column. His condition deteriorated to the point he was dependent on anti-inflammatory drugs. Within days he became ataxic.

 

Shadai and Arrowfield veterinarians sought the best medical opinion, internationally, but such a condition is inoperable. To reverse it in a horse is without medical precedent. In layman's terms the spine is about a foot beneath the wither in a fully-grown horse and that is merely problem #1.

 

End Sweep was working his third season in Japan, having covered 100 and 98 mares in the two years since Shadai purchased a 50% interest in the Forty Niner horse. That was soon after End Sweep left North America for what would be the last time in 1999.

 

Messara is convinced that End Sweep is set to make a big impact when his first Australian runners hit the tracks in late September. His first southern generation turn two on Aug. 1. As yearlings earlier this year, 67 of 85 offered averaged $91,801 (Australian funds) on a $25,000 fee. The median was $75,000.

"His death is a giant loss to Arrowfield," Messara said, "Biased as I am about End Sweep, I believe his loss will ultimately prove a significant one to the Australian breeding industry."

 

According to an unwritten but well-tested Thoroughbred truism, whatever his progeny might achieve in Australia and Japan the impact will now surely be greater.

 

There are 94 foals from his first southern season, 86 from his second and likely to be 70-plus on the ground this spring. Expect Arrowfield to lead the pursuit for a sire son. The company head has already gone on record as saying that the next big thing from the shuttle might very well come from such a source.

 

Raced by Christiana Stables and later by Harry Mangurian's Mockingbird Farm, the colt from grade I winner Broom Dance (by Dance Spell) won six of his 18 starts, including the Highlander Handicap (Can-I) at Woodbine at three. He was also third behind Prenup in the Jerome Handicap (gr.I) at Belmont before entering stud at Mockingbird Farm in 1995.

 

He swept all before him with a world record 33 individual 2-year-old winners from 50 runners in 1998 -- from 75 foals. With the exception of a lone winner in Japan, the others made him an overwhelming champion freshman sire, on a $6,000 season. Clearly his days down at Ocala were numbered.

 

That Mockingbird had produced top freshman Diablo just two years earlier might have made some potential buyers wary, Messara included: "but this wasn't cheap speed," he said, "they came early and they trained on. They could run and they were tough." In the deal to purchase End Sweep, Messara and Mangurian signed confidentially agreements regarding the sale price.

 

At the time of his death, End Sweep was second on North America's 2-year-old list and eighth on the general table. He earlier had been champion second and third crop sire in North America.

 

Oddly, Forty Niner was lost to North America in 1995, the year End Sweep started what would be a tragically brief stud career. Forty Niner is expected to be returned to Kentucky and Taylor Made in 2003. The Nicholasville outfit is the northern home for former Arrowfield commuter Unbridled's Song.

 

Copyright © 1905-2004 The Blood-Horse, Inc. All Rights Reserved

 

 

 

 

Group 1 winner Maroof dead in New Zealand
Posted: 1/3/2000 ET

Maroof, winner of the 1994 Queen Elizabeth II Stakes (Eng-G1) at Ascot in and highweighted older horse that year from 7-to-9 ½ furlongs on the English Free Handicap, collapsed and died at Cambridge Stud near Cambridge, New Zealand, on December 30. The nine-year-old Kentucky-bred son of Danzig out of Dish Dash (GB), by Bustino, ruptured a blood vessel in his neck and drowned in his own blood.

 

Maroof was 4-5-1 in 13 career starts for $459,845 in earnings. Raced exclusively in Europe during his three seasons on the racetrack, Maroof also won the 1992 Vintage Stakes (Eng-G3) and was second in the ’92 National Stakes (Ire-G1).

With only two reported foals of racing age, Maroof had sired South African Group 1-winning filly Toccata.

 

Maroof’s death occurred two days before Cambridge Stud’s owner Patrick Hogan received knighthood during Queen Elizabeth II’s New Year’s Honors for services to New Zealand’s Thoroughbred racing and breeding industry.—Delamere Usher
 

 

 

 

Northern Prospect dead at 24
Posted: 2/9/2000 ET
 

 
Northern Prospect, the sire of 35 stakes winners including sprinters Lakota Brave and Fortunate Prospect, was humanely euthanized due to infirmities of old age at Hermitage Farm near Goshen, Kentucky, on February 5. He was 24.

By Mr. Prospector out of Sleek Dancer, by Northern Dancer, Northern Prospect was 6-3-4 in 15 career starts over two seasons, winning three stakes races in South Florida and $89,941. Retired to Aisco Farms near Ocala, he was moved to Hermitage in 1987.

 

His leading domestic runners included 1996 Ancient Title Breeders’ Cup Handicap (G3) winner Lakota Brave, 1984 San Vicente Stakes (G3) winner Fortunate Prospect—himself the sire of graded stakes winner Fortunate Faith, Suave Prospect, Dominant Prospect, and Notagoldbrick—and multiple stakes winning fillies Noranc and J. D. and Water.

 

Northern Prospect also sired Terminator, who won the 1997 Ecuador Triple Crown and was twice named champion import in that country, and Caribbean Secret D, 1991 champion imported mare in Puerto Rico.
 

 

 

Affirmed, whose victories over Alydar in the 1978 Triple Crown races live forever in racing lore, was euthanized Friday.

"It has been a privilege and honor to be the caretaker of Affirmed," said Jonabell general manager James Bell. "He will be greatly missed and certainly never forgotten. His tremendous heart, class and courage made him a genuine pleasure to be around – a true gentleman and champion."

Last October, Affirmed had undergone surgery by Dr. Larry Bramlage to realign the ankle joint after the stallion was experiencing discomfort due to a chronic condition from a ligamentous injury to the back of his pastern on his left foreleg.

According to Jonabell, the horse was progressing his recovery at the farm and had begun exercising again when he developed additional problems that began to aggravate laminitis in the opposite foreleg.

The horse was returned to Rood & Riddle on Jan. 8 so he could undergo "continuous observation in a controlled environment," the farm said in a statement. Bramlage recommended euthanasia for humane reasons after examining Affirmed Friday.

Affirmed was returned to Jonabell where he was buried next to the stallion complex at Jonabell Farm, along with the familiar flamingo pink and black silks of owner/breeder Lou and Patrice Wolfson's Harbor View Farm.

In a statement, Bramlage said: "Affirmed was humanely put to sleep on January 12, 2001, because of musculo-skeletal problems relating to the infirmities of his advancing age. In October 2000, Affirmed dislocated his left front pastern joint in the paddock and began to overload the opposite forelimb. The condition was treated with a pastern arthrodesis. When he resumed exercise, he developed problems with the coffin joint and sesamoids related to his advancing age and his 26-year-old distal limb. When these problems began to aggravate the laminitis in the right forelimb, humane euthanasia was elected, rather than allow him to suffer with his chronic musculo-skeletal disease."

Patrice Wolfson said in a statement: "The decision today was difficult from a sentimental viewpoint, but also obviously the proper course to prevent Affirmed from suffering. We appreciate the excellent care and professional compassion shown Affirmed by Jonabell Farm and the wonderful veterinarians who attended him. Like us, they put the humane treatment of a noble animal above all other considerations. My husband and I cherish the expressions of support for Affirmed over the years, not only when he was a wonderful racehorse, but also during his lengthy and successful career as a stallion. As all of you know who are involved with racing, a horse like Affirmed comes along more by magic than by plan. Lou and I have always, and will remain, grateful that this unique good fortune was directed our way. Affirmed will forever stand with those who exemplify the word 'champion' in Thoroughbred racing. We cannot begin to imagine how much we will miss him."

Affirmed was champion 2-year-old of 1977, champion 3-year-old and Horse of the Year in 1978, and a repeat Horse of the Year winner in 1979. The chestnut son of Exclusive Native -- Won't Tell You, by Crafty Admiral had stood at Jonabell since 1992 and has been represented by 77 stakes winners to date.

Trained by Lazaro S. Barrera, Affirmed made his racing debut at Belmont Park on May 24, 1977, going wire to wire in a 4 1/2-length victory. Three weeks later he was ridden from off the pace to win the Youthful Stakes by a neck as 9-5 favorite Alydar finished fifth.

As the two top horses continued on what became a highly publicized rivalry, Alydar turned the tables on Affirmed by winning the Great American Stakes at Belmont Park in July. After a foray to the West Coast and a seven-length romp in a division of the Hollywood Juvenile Championship, Affirmed returned to New York to win the Sanford Stakes in his first start under young jockey Steve Cauthen.

The Affirmed-Alydar rivalry resumed in the Hopeful, as Affirmed defeated the Calumet runner by a half-length. Those two battled through the stretch in the Futurity Stakes before Affirmed earned a nose triumph. Alydar took the next round, winning the Champagne by 1 1/4 lengths over a muddy Belmont Park main track. With Affirmed holding a 3-2 advantage over Alydar, the pair met again in their season finale, the Laurel Futurity, with divisional honors on the line. Affirmed emerged with a neck victory and the Eclipse Award.

Going into the 1978 Kentucky Derby, Affirmed had compiled an enviable record of 11 wins from 13 starts, with four wins from six starts against Alydar. Despite Affirmed's advantage in the rivalry, Alydar was sent off as the 6-5 Derby favorite, followed by Affirmed at 9-5 in the 11-horse field. The early Derby pace was fast, with Affirmed settled more than five lengths back before moving to the lead with rounding the final turn. Affirmed opened up a two-length lead in the stretch as Alydar unleashed his closing drive in the stretch, falling 1 1/2 lengths short of winner Affirmed.

The margin was closer in the Preakness, but the result nonetheless the same as pacesetter Affirmed held off Alydar's stretch run to win by a neck. In the third leg of the Triple Crown, Affirmed took the early lead over four others, setting relatively slow fractions. After the first quarter was completed in 50 seconds, Alydar ranged up alongside Affirmed down the backstretch and the pace quickened. The two engaged in a close battle throughout the rest of the race, with Alydar appearing to take a slight lead in the stretch. Lacking the room to use the whip on Affirmed from his right hand, Cauthen switched the equipment to the left hand and used it to encourage Affirmed to the finish line, winning by a head.

With his Triple Crown secure, Affirmed went on to win the Jim Dandy and defeated Alydar in the Travers but was subsequently disqualified and placed second for interference in the stretch.

In an historic matchup of two Triple Crown winners, Affirmed engaged Seattle Slew in the Marlboro Cup, with the older horse defeating the 3-year-old by three lengths. In the Jockey Club Gold Cup, Affirmed's saddle slipped and he finished 19 lengths behind winner Exceller, with Seattle Slew second.

After two losses in Southern California that winter, Barrera replaced Cauthen with Laffit Pincay Jr. in the 1979 Charles H. Strub Stakes. The result was a 10-length romp and began a seven-race win streak for Affirmed. Included in the win streak was a track-record, 4 1/2-length victory in the Santa Anita Handicap and a gutsy win under top weight of 132 pounds in the Hollywood Gold Cup.

Retired with 22 wins in 29 starts as the then-richest horse in history with earnings of $2,393,818, Affirmed then embarked on his successful stud career. Affirmed entered stud at Spendthrift Farm and was relocated to Jonabell in 1991. Ironically, the best of his 77 stakes winners to date has been Harbor View's Flawlessly, a two-time champion grass mare. Affirmed also sired Irish champion Trusted Partner, Canadian Horse of the Year Peteski, and Irish/English champion Zoman, as well as the additional champions Charlie Barley (Canada), One From Heaven (Canada), Bint Pasha (France), Tibullo (Italy), Affidavit (France), Medi Flash (Italy), and Easy to Copy (Ireland).

Copyright © 1905-2004 The Blood-Horse, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Pleasant Colony, who won the 1981 Kentucky Derby (gr. I) and Preakness Stakes (gr. I), died Dec. 31 of natural causes in his paddock at George Grayson's Blue Ridge Farm near Upperville, Va. The 25-year-old Virginia-bred son of His Majesty was buried at David Blake's Buckland Farm just a short distance from the barn where he was born. Buckland at the time was owned by Thomas Mellon Evans, who campaigned Pleasant Colony as a homebred.

Pleasant Colony won the Run for the Roses from a fast-closing Woodchopper, and in the Preakness, he overtook pacesetter Bold Ego in the final furlong. His try for the Triple Crown ended with a tiring third-place effort in the Belmont Stakes (gr. I).

Pleasant Colony's other wins that year came in the Wood Memorial (gr. I) and Woodward (gr. I) Stakes. He was retired in the fall after a fourth-place effort in the Marlboro Cup Handicap (gr. I) with six wins from 14 starts and earnings of $965,383 in two years of racing. His stakes win as a 2-year-old came in the Remsen Stakes (gr. II).

Pleasant Colony, who entered stud at the Buckland division near Lexington, became a source of stamina and soundness in pedigrees. He is represented by 73 stakes winners, including Eclipse Award winners Pleasant Tap and Pleasant Stage; multiple European champion St. Jovite, recent star Behrens, and 1993 Belmont Stakes (gr. I) winner Colonial Affair. On the 2002 general sire list, he is ranked 26th, with progeny earnings of $4.1 million. He packs an impressive 3.49 A-EI, compared to a 2.47 CI.

As a broodmare sire, Pleasant Colony is represented by such grade I winners as the half-siblings Forestry and Cash Run. The latter won the 1999 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (gr. I). Another of Pleasant Colony's maternal granddaughters, millionaire Summer Colony, is owned by Evans' son, Edward Evans. The elder Evans died in 1997.

Pleasant Colony stood for a time at William S. Farish's Lane's End Farm near Versailles, Ky. He was pensioned in 2000 after developing libido problems and was moved to the Kentucky Horse Park near Lexington. That year, he was sent to Blue Ridge.

Copyright © 1905-2004 The Blood-Horse, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

 

The long vigil is over. After 14 weeks of battle, Sunday Silence died of heart failure Sunday, Aug. 19, brought on by infection in his leg and the debilitating effects of laminitis.

At Shadai Stallion Station in Japan's Hokkaido, where staff and veterinarians have watched over the stallion since early May, there was great sadness, but it was mixed with the somewhat comforting belief that the great stallion in his last hours found some freedom from the pain. There is some comfort also in the fact that he left this world on his own, at his own pace.

Eisuke Tokutake, media liaison at Shadai Stallion Station said, "Sunday night he lay down for the first time in a week. Maybe he was finally comfortable, I don't know, but he lay down again this morning,

"Later in the morning, the vets were all there, including the insurance company veterinarian, and the talk was that Sunday wasn't getting up," Tokutake continued. "They had just given him an injection of painkiller and had gone to prepare the next injection. When they came back he was gone. His hooves were severely deteriorated and the pain was severe. From Saturday they'd switched to a stronger painkiller and were giving him lots of it. I think that helped make him more comfortable and that was why he probably lay down," Tokutake explained.

Katsumi Yoshida, owner of Northern Farm, was on hand for Sunday Silence's last moments, Tokutake said.

Teruya Yoshida, Katsumi's brother, was out of the country and released an official comment that was distributed to the media.

"With illness, in any living creature, there are just things that one must accept, but at 16 years of age, normally one would expect to look forward to many more years of active service. It's terribly unfortunate. I think it is not only a great loss to the Japanese breeding industry but to the entire world of racing," Yoshida said. "From here on, I will endeavor to see that the great number of offspring that Sunday Silence has left behind will carry his blood forth for many generations to come."

Japan Racing Association president Masayuki Takahashi also released an official comment. "It is with deep regret that we witness the passing of Sunday Silence, who has given us so many outstanding racehorses, and whose name is known not only in our country but throughout the world. I pray for the success of those he has left behind, for the success of his sons and daughters in racing and in breeding."

Sunday Silence, by Halo, out of Wishing Well, was born at Stone Farm in Kentucky in 1986. He won the 1989 Kentucky Derby (gr. I), Preakness Stakes (gr. I), and Breeders' Cup Classic (gr. I).

A 25% interest in Sunday Silence was purchased for $2.5 million near the end of his racing career by Shadai Farm's founder, Zenya Yoshida. When American breeders showed little interest in breeding to the Horse of the Year, Yoshida purchased the remaining 75% for $7.5 million. He had paid ¥1.65 billion and syndicated the horse for ¥2.5 billion, at the time a Japanese record.

Sunday Silence began stud duty in Japan in 1991 and has held the leading sire spot in Japan for the past eight years. His offspring have won 143 graded races, including 28 group I races and four Nippon Derbys, in JRA-sponsored races.

He covered over 2,000 mares in Japan. Close to 330 of his offspring are now running in JRA races, with an additional 50 in municipally governed racing. In JRA races this year, 117 winners have notched 156 wins for over ¥4 billion in prize money.

Despite the blow Sunday Silence's death undoubtedly means to the Shadai operation, or perhaps because of it, according to Tokutake, there was unlikely to be a memorial service similar to the one held for El Condor Pasa earlier this month. Sunday Silence will be buried at Shadai Stallion Station.

Just two hours after Sunday Silence's death, Tokutake, who had described the stallion as fiery and aloof, "the boss" of Stallion Station, said he hadn't yet had time to get a reading on his own feelings. "We've had so many people coming in and out today. There just hasn't been time to sit down quietly and think."

Others, the 40-year-old office affairs manager said, undoubtedly felt some shock, but, he said, "I believe the general feeling is one of a kind of relief, relief that Sunday Silence is finally at peace." By Barbara Bayer

Copyright © 1905-2004 The Blood-Horse, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Ferdinand, the 1986 Kentucky Derby winner who went on to capture the following year's Horse of the Year title with a dramatic victory over 1987 Derby hero Alysheba in the Breeders' Cup Classic, is dead. The Blood-Horse has learned the big chestnut son of Nijinsky II died sometime in 2002, most likely in a slaughterhouse in Japan, where his career at stud was unsuccessful.

 

Reporter Barbara Bayer, as detailed in an exclusive story in the July 26 issue of The Blood-Horse, attempted to learn of Ferdinand's whereabouts after a member of the Howard Keck family that owned and bred the horse inquired about having him returned to the United States, where he began his career at stud. As a racehorse, Ferdinand won eight of 29 starts and earned $3,777,978, retiring as what was then the fifth leading money winner of all time. His victory in the Kentucky Derby gave trainer Charlie Whittingham his first success in that classic, and it was the final career Derby win for jockey Bill Shoemaker.

 

Ferdinand was retired to stud in 1989 at Claiborne Farm near Paris, Ky., where he was foaled. His initial stud fee was $30,000 live foal, but he achieved little success as a stallion from his first few crops of runners.

 

Sold to Japan's JS Company in the fall of 1994 at a time when Japanese breeding farms were aggressively pursuing American and European breeding stock, Ferdinand spent six breeding seasons at Arrow Stud on the northern island of Hokkaido, from 1995-2000. Initially popular with local breeders (he was mated to 77 mares his first year), Ferdinand was bred to just 10 mares in his final year at Arrow, and his owners opted to get rid of him.

 

After efforts by the farm staff to place Ferdinand with a riding club failed, he passed into the hands of a Monbetsu, Japan, horse dealer named Yoshikazu Watanabe and left the farm Feb. 3, 2001. No attempt was made to contact either the Keck family or Claiborne Farm.

 

Bayer at first was told by Watanabe that Ferdinand had been "given to a friend." When she asked for more information, she was told Ferdinand "was gelded and I think he's at a riding club far away from here." In fact, records showed Ferdinand was bred to six mares in 2001 and then two in 2002. He spent a period of time at Goshima Farm near Niikappu, where a former handler at Arrow Stud had seen him.

 

Finally, when Bayer told Watanabe she wanted to see Ferdinand, the story changed yet again. "Actually, he isn't around anymore," she was told. "He was disposed of late last year." Ferdinand's registration in Japan was annulled Sept. 1, 2002, Bayer learned.

 

"In Japan, the term 'disposed of' is used to mean slaughtered," Bayer wrote in The Blood-Horse. "No one can say for sure when and where Ferdinand met his end, but it would seem clear he met it in a slaughterhouse."

 

"Unfortunately, to those well-versed in the realities beyond the glitter and glory of the racetrack, it comes as no surprise," Bayer wrote. "Ferdinand's story is the story of nearly every imported stallion in Japan at that point in time when the figures no longer weigh in his favor. In a country where racing is kept booming by the world's highest purses and astronomical betting revenues, Ferdinand's fate is not the exception. It is the rule."

 

"That's just disgusting," said Dell Hancock, whose family operates Claiborne Farm, upon hearing the news of Ferdinand's likely fate. "It's so sad, but there is nothing anyone can do now except support John Hettinger's efforts to stop the slaughter of Thoroughbreds in this country. That wouldn't change anything in Japan...to have this happen to a Derby winner is just terrible."

 

While the Japanese are among the societies that consume horse meat, it is more likely a slaughtered Thoroughbred would be used for pet food, since the meat consumed by humans is a certain breed of horse raised specifically for that purpose. The slaughter of no longer useful imported breeding stock and many domestic Japanese Thoroughbreds is not uncommon. Shortages of land and the high cost of maintaining a pensioned horse are reasons slaughter is considered an alternate. As in the U.S., where slaughter is also an option available for horse owners, a number of organizations are attempting to provide homes for retired and pensioned racehorses, stallions, and mares. The Japan Racing Association funds one program that currently benefits 90 horses.

 

Among the people Bayer met and spoke with while trying to learn of Ferdinand's fate was Toshiharu Kaibazawa, who worked as a stallion groom at Arrow Stud during the horse's years there. He called the former champion "the gentlest horse you could imagine. He'd come over when I called to him in the pasture. And anyone could have led him with just a halter on him. ... He'd come over to me and press his head up against me. He was so sweet."

 

"I want to get angry about what happened to him," Kaibazawa added. "It's just heartless, too heartless."

 

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Kentucky stallion Doc’s Leader dead
Posted: 10/15/2001 4:50:00 PM ET

Central Kentucky stallion Doc’s Leader was euthanized on Sunday after suffering complications from a neurological disorder at Alfred Nuckols Jr.’s Hurstland Farm near Midway.

The 15-year-old son of Mr. Leader out of With Patience, by Nodouble, had stood his entire career at Hurstland and was buried at the farm. He stood the 2001 season for $5,000.

 

Bred by Nuckols and campaigned by Frank Loccisano, Doc’s Leader won nine of 38 career starts for earnings of $494,325. He won six stakes events during his career, including the 1989 West Virginia Derby.

 

With seven crops of racing age, Doc’s Leader has sired seven stakes winners and has lifetime progeny earnings of $4,000,619. He is the sire of two graded stakes winners—1999 Saranac Handicap (G3) winner Phi Beta Doc and 1999 Valley View Stakes (G3) winner Gimmeakissee.

 

Doc’s Leader also sired stakes winners Treat Me Doc, Please Sign In, Doctoressa, and Lady Doc.

 

 

 

 

Illinois stallion Zen dead at 26
Posted: 1/3/2000 ET

 
Zen, who regularly topped the Illinois sires list during his two-decade stud career, was humanely euthanized on December 26 due to infirmities of old age at Hill ‘n Dale Farm near Barrington, Illinois. He was 26.

Damascus out of Penny Bryn, by *Tulyar, Zen raced 13 times during a three-year career, winning seven, including the 1976 Gotham Stakes (G2), and $120,919.

The gray stallion enjoyed a lucrative career in Illinois, siring 28 stakes winners.

 

That total included four graded stakes winners, led by 1984 American Derby (G1) winner High Alexander. Zen’s leading runner by earnings was Unique Type, who won nine stakes races—eight of them in Illinois—from 1986 through `89. Through December 3, progeny sired by Zen had earnings of $14,406,998.
 

 

 

Our Native outlived two of his very famous contemporaries, Mr. Prospector, who he defeated in the 1973 Calumet Purse, and Secretariat, who he followed across the finish line in the Kentucky Derby (gr. I) and Preakness Stakes (gr. I) that year. But Our Native's age and health caught up with him on Aug. 26, when the 31-year-old stallion was euthanized at High Point Farm near Lexington.

Dr. E.W. Thomas bred Our Native, raced him with partners, and has lived almost every day since 1974 with the dark bay son of Exclusive Native. Thomas said on Aug. 25 Our Native's arthritis acted up. "He just couldn't make it getting up." He was euthanized in his stall the following morning, after farm manager Francisco Camancho stayed with him through the night.

"We here at the farm profited from his demeanor, intelligence, and way of living life," Thomas said.

Almost until his death, Our Native was turned out daily in his paddock outside the stallion barn. Thomas' office is also in the building, and the two old gents were as close as horse and human could be.

Thomas purchased the dam of Our Native, Our Jackie (by Crafty Admiral), privately after her racing career ended in 1967. Our Native was her third foal and one of two stakes winners she produced (Salud won the 1979 Alcibiades, gr. II).

Thomas bred Our Native with his sons James and William consigned him to the 1971 fall yearling sale where the $44,000 paid by trainer William J. Resseguet Jr. topped the sale. Mrs. Elizabeth Pritchard raced Our Native, until Thomas bought a quarter-interest after he won the Flamingo Stakes (gr. I). Resseguet also owned an interest in the horse.

Our Native made 37 starts and won 14 of them, and retired with a 14-4-7 record and earnings of $426,969. His best year by far was 1973 when he won the Flamingo, finished third to Secretariat and Sham in the Derby and Preakness, then won the Ohio Derby (gr. II) and the grade I Monmouth Invitational (gr. I). He raced four times at age four, won only once, then retired to Thomas' Matron Farm (now High Point).

Our Native stood his entire career at High Point with Thomas as syndicate manager. His last season at stud was in 1992, when he had a fee of $7,500. He sired 653 foals in 18 crops; 64% of those were winners. Our Native is the sire of 49 stakes winners, including 1979 2-year-old champion Rockhill Native and multiple grade I winners I'm Splendid and Zoffany.

It is possible Our Native's most impressive statistics are from his daughters. To date they have produced 73 stakes winners from 1399 registered foals of racing age and champions Estambul and Star Verse.

Our Native's last stakes winner was Doctor Trotter, who retired last year at the age of eight. Currently racing is a grandson of Our Native, Sure Shot Biscuit, who has won 11 stakes races and $862,073.

Both Our Jackie and Our Native are buried at High Point, where each also has a barn named in their honor. However, Thomas said he does not plan to mark either grave with a stone. "Our Native is buried in the midst of the activity on the farm," he said.
"He gave me a lot. It is really something in life for a little person like me to breed a horse like him, and to live life with him."

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Seattle Slew, the only horse to win the Triple Crown while undefeated, died Tuesday morning in his sleep at Hill 'n' Dale Farm near Lexington. On May 7, 1977, exactly 25 years ago, Slew won the Kentucky Derby. Seattle Slew had been the last remaining Triple Crown winner, and his passing leaves the Thoroughbred world without a living Triple Crown winner for the first time since Sir Barton first accomplished the feat in 1919.

Sold at auction for $17,500, Seattle Slew became not only a great racehorse but one of the most important sires in Thoroughbred racing history. He has sired 102 stakes winners, including A.P. Indy, Slew o' Gold, Surfside, Swale, Capote, Landaluce, Slew City Slew, Flute, and Honest Lady.

"He was the most complete Thoroughbred the industy has ever seen," said Mickey Taylor, who raced the horse with his wife, Karen, and Dr. Jim Hill and his wife, Sally. "He just kept raising the bar with every record he broke."

The Taylors were with him at the time of his death, having attended to Slew throughout his career. "He had the greatest heart; he was a fighter to the end." Karen Taylor said.

Grooms Tom Wade and Carlos Arreola also were with the horse. Wade started caring for Seattle Slew when the stallion began his stud career at Spendthrift Farm near Lexington.

Slew had recently been moved to Hill 'n' Dale from Three Chimneys Farm near Midway, Ky., following his second spinal surgery. His barn at Three Chimneys was too close to the breeding shed, causing him to become agitated when mares arrived on the farm.

John Sikura, the owner of Hill 'n' Dale Farm, said, "It was one of the great privileges to be around something great, a feeling that will likely never be duplicated. But with extreme reward comes extreme sadness. To be near greatness is what everyone in this business aspires to, and it happens so rarely. He was one in a million, and showed us there is that possibility in a game of impossibilities."

Seattle Slew will be bured at Hill 'n' Dale beneath a statue in a courtyard.

Major winner and successful sire Lost Code died of a heart attack right before he was scheduled to cover his first mare at Legacy Farm near Bluemont, Va., on Saturday. An autopsy revealed a ruptured aorta. Lost Code, who previously stood at Vinery near Lexington, was moved to Legacy in the fall and was owned by a syndicate. His fee was $7,500.

"He was getting ready to cover his first mare and got a little excited," said Mark Deane, who managed Lost Code. "Then he died right before my eyes. It was unbelievable what happened. Just unbelievable.

"He was such an important horse for Virginia because he showed we could get a good stallion. We had 40 mares booked to him, and they were coming from Louisiana, Illinois, New Jersey, Canada, and Kentucky."

Bred in Florida by Mareinvest 83 Ltd., Lost Code won 15 races and earned $2,085,396 for Donald Levinson's Wendover Stable. Trainer L. William Donovan had bought Lost Code as a 2-year-old privately for Levinson for $30,000.

Lost Code (Codex -- Loss Or Gain, Ack Ack) developed a loyal following by winning seven consecutive stakes his 3-year-old season in 1987. He captured in succession the Hoop, Jr. Stakes (in track-record time), Alabama Derby, Thomas D. Nash Memorial Handicap, Illinois Derby (gr. III), Ohio Derby (gr. II), St. Paul Derby (gr. III), and Arlington Classic (gr. I) before finishing third in the Haskell Invitational Handicap (gr. I) to the year's two classic winners, Bet Twice and Alysheba.

As a 4-year-old, Lost Code defeated Cryptoclearance and Gulch in winning the Oaklawn Handicap (gr. I), and also won the Michigan Mile and One-Eighth (gr. II), Massachusetts (gr. II), Razorback (gr. II), and National Jockey Club (gr. III) Handicaps. He also ran second to Bet Twice in the Pimlico Special Handicap. Overall, Lost Code won or placed in 22 of 27 races.

Lost Code entered stud in 1989 at Dearborn/Vinery Stallions near Midway, Ky., starting out with a $15,000 fee. He hit the $1.8-million mark when his first runners were 3-year-olds (in 1993), and has surpassed $2.4 million every year since. In four of those years, he topped the $3.1 million figure. His 45 stakes winners include Canadian champion mare Magic Code; grade II winners Tricky Code and Jacody; plus $745,167-earner Morris Code.

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Skywalker, who won the 1986 Breeders' Cup Classic (gr. I) and whose champion son Bertrando finished second in the 1993 running, died the morning of Feb. 25 of a heart attack at Arthur B. Hancock III's Stone Farm near Paris, Ky. The son of Relaunch was foaled and raised at Stone Farm, where he had stood at stud since the 1996 breeding season. He was 21.

"Skywalker was a grand individual and very beloved here at the farm," said Hancock. "His death was a shock to all of us and we will certainly miss him."

Skywalker's victory in the Breeders' Cup Classic as a 4-year-old for Tom Tatham and partners' Oak Cliff Stable came over favorites Turkoman and Precisionist for trainer Michael Whittingham. Slywalker won four other stakes, all graded, during his career, including the 1985 Santa Anita Derby (gr. I). Retired with eight wins from 20 races and earnings of $2,226,750, he entered stud at Cardiff Stud Farms in California.

Bertrando, one of 40 stakes winners for his sire, set a track record in the Pacific Classic (gr. I) and took the Woodward Stakes (gr. I) by 13 1/2 lengths his 1993 championship season. He since has become one of the West Coast's most successful sires.

Skywalker, who was bred by Oak Cliff Thoroughbreds and named by Tatham's son after Star Wars hero Luke Skywalker, was the most accomplished of five stakes winners from the stakes-winning Boldnesian mare Bold Captive.

Skywalker covered three mares this year. He will be buried at Stone Farm.

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Grade I winner Booklet, who entered stud this year at the Greathouse family's Glencrest Farm near Midway, Ky., was euthanized the morning of March 4 because of complications from colic at Hagyard-Davidson-McGee Associates veterinary clinic near Lexington.

"We discovered it this morning, and immediately sent him to Hagyard," said Allen Greathouse. "During the surgery, they saw that nothing could be done."

Syndicated Booklet covered some 16 or 17 mares and has two or three in foal. His fee was $6,500.

Booklet, a son of Florida stallion Notebook, was Florida's Horse of the Year and champion 3-year-old male of 2002 for owner John Oxley after capturing the Fountain of Youth Stakes (gr. I) and Holy Bull Stakes (gr. III), both at Gulfstream Park. Booklet also ran second in that year's Toyota Blue Grass Stakes (gr. I) at Keeneland.

Oxley privately acquired Booklet after the horse had won the restricted Florida Stallion In Reality Stakes for 2-year-olds in mid-October of 2001 and transferred him to trainer John Ward Jr. Booklet, who was produced from the Bob Dusty's mare Crafty Bobbie, was bred by Ginger Parker and Charles A. Baldree Jr.

Booklet won seven of 14 races and earned $989,460 in three years of racing.

 

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Rubiano, champion sprinter of 1992, was euthanized Tuesday following complications from laminitis, according to a release from William S. Farish's Lane's End Farm where he had stood since his retirement in 1992.

Bred by the Third Kirsmith Racing Associates, Rubiano raced for a Centennial Farms partnership. He won 13 of 28 races, including three grade I event, the NYRA Mile, Carter Handicap, and the Vosburgh Stakes, and earned $1,252,817. He was the son of leading sire Fappiano and was produced from the Nijinsky II mare Ruby Slippers.

Fifteen-year-old Rubiano was the sire of 21 stakes winners from seven crops of racing age, including grade I winners Burning Roma and Impression and to date his runners have earned more than $21 million. This year, he was represented by six stakes winners, including 2-year-old stakes winners Taliano and Ruby's Reception.

Rubiano was buried in the Lane's End cemetery

 

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