Star German sprinter Areion (Ger) (Big Shuffle–Aerleona {Ire}, by Caerleon), a multiple champion sire in his native land, was euthanized due to complications from colic at the age of 27 on Friday, Galopp Online reported. A resident of Gestut Etzean at the time of his death, Areion formerly raced in the colours of Marlene Haller.
“We were with him a week before,” Frank Haller told Sport-Welt on Sunday. “Actually, we had the impression that he was in a good mood. He then came to the clinic in Iffezheim with a suspected colic from Etzean. There, however, one could not determine 100% what the issue was. After four days, he returned to Etzean. He then was in greater discomfort, which also involved his breathing, so that in the end he unfortunately had to be euthanized.”
Bred by Erika Huber, the full-brother to G3 Anniversary S. heroine and G1 Phoenix S. third Agnetha (Ger) (Big Shuffle) was trained by Andreas Wohler. A winner at two, he triumphed in both the G2 Jacobs Goldene Peitsche and G3 Holsten-Trophy as a sophomore. Twice stakes-placed as a 4-year-old, Areion returned to the winner's circle at five, with another G3 Holsten-Trophy victory, as well as a score at German listed level. He retired to stud in Germany with a mark of 16-5-3-2 and $310,970 in earnings.
Haller continued, “We had him for 25 years, he was like a family member to us.”
Out of the listed-placed mare Aerleona, Areion was one of eight foals to win for his dam, who produced the listed winners Apollinaris (Ger) (Sternkoenig {Ire}), Aristaios (Ger) (Alkalde {Ger}), and Anna Frid (Ger) (Big Shuffle), who was also third in the G3 Phoenix Sprint S. From small crops in Germany, the bay was the leading sire there in 2010, 2013, 2015 and 2017. Areion was also the leading sire of juveniles in Germany in 2012, 2015, 2017, and 2019.
He sired 49 black-type winners, 28 of them group winners, from 453 runners. Alson (Ger), the 2019 G1 Criterium International hero, is the best of his get, closely followed by multiple group winners Rubaiyat (Fr) and Palace Prince (Ger). All three have received a chance at stud, with Alson's first foals due next year, Rubaiyat's will arrive in 2024 and Palace Prince's first runners will take to racecourses beginning next spring.
Flying the flag for Areion as a broodmare sire are the three-time Group 1 winner Iquitos (Ger) (Adlerflug {Ger}), as well as the G1 Tattersalls Gold Cup victor Alenquer (Fr) (Adlerflug {Ger}) among his 18 stakes winners (10 group). Ashrun (Fr) (Authorized {Ire}) was also third in the G1 Grosser Preis von Bayern in 2019.
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