Champion and pensioned stallion Stravinsky (Nureyev–Fire the Groom, by Blushing Groom {Fr}) passed away from the infirmities of old age at JBBA Shizunai Stallion Station in Japan earlier this week, Net Keiba reported on Friday. A notable broodmare sire, he was 27.
“We are truly saddened to lose him and are grateful for all the support from his fans over the years,” Shigeki Yusa posted on X.
Bred by R. D. Hubbard, E. C. Allred and C. Sczesny in Kentucky, the $625,000 Keeneland July yearling was purchased by Coolmore interests and raced for Michael Tabor and Sue Magnier. Trained by Aidan O'Brien, the colt was third in the G1 Dewhurst S. at two. During his 3-year-old season, he won the G1 July Cup and G1 Nuthorpe S., and retired to Coolmore Ashford with a mark of 8-3-1-1 and $361,450 in earnings. He was named the Cartier Champion Sprinter of 1999.
He also shuttled to Australia for several years, and stood his first season in Japan beginning in 2006. His total stakes winners stands at 75 with 38 group/graded winners and nine Grade/Group 1 winners. His best include three-time Australian top-tier winner Serenade Rose (Aus), while Keeninsky (NZ) won a brace of Group 1s in New Zealand, and Balmont claimed the G1 Middle Park S.
His daughters have provided 81 stakes winners so far, 44 at the Pattern level. The outstanding dual champion Tepin (Bernstein) is his best runner as a broodmare sire, with the six-time Grade/Group 1 winner one of 14 top-level scorers. Australian Horse of the Year Lankan Rupee (Aus) (Redoute's Choice {Aus}) and four-time Australian Group 1 winner Mosheen (Aus) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}) are other standouts, as is International S./Sussex S./Queen Elizabeth II S. hero and sire Rip Van Winkle (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}).
The bay, a half-brother to stakes winner and GI Secretariat S. third Moscow Ballet (Ire) (Sadler's Wells), was pensioned in 2019. His dam won the GI Beverly D. S. and is a half-sister to G1 Vernons Sprint Cup scorer Dowsing (Riverman).
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