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Awad, 1995 Arlington Million winner, dead at 21 Turf star and multi-millionaire AWAD (Caveat), a course record-setting winner of the 1995 Arlington Million (G1) and 1997 Sword Dancer Invitational (G1), has died. The 21-year-old stallion was discovered early Saturday morning in his paddock at Old Friends, the Thoroughbred Retirement Center near Georgetown, Kentucky, where he has been pensioned since 2006. According to veterinarian Dr. Douglas Byars and Old Friends founder and President Michael Blowen, the cause of death was a sudden heart attack, but a full necropsy was being performed at Hagyard Equine Medical Institute in Lexington. The hard-knocking Awad raced for seven seasons as a homebred for Maryland's Ryehill Farm, compiling a record of 70-14-10-11 while winning or placing in 30 stakes. His career earnings totaled $3,270,131. Awad's first Grade 1 win came in the 1993 Secretariat S. at Arlington Park. The Chicago course would prove to be lucky for the Maryland-bred throughout his career. Two years later, Awad captured the Arlington Million in record time for the 1 1/4 miles on turf, 1:58.69, shaving one-fifth of a second off the course mark set by Perrault (GB) in 1982. His course mark still stands. With the win he not only gave trainer David Donk and jockey Eddie Maple their first Million triumphs, he also became the first horse to ever win both the Secretariat and the Million at Arlington. Also during his 1995 campaign, Awad captured the Manhattan H. (G1) and the Pan American H. (G2). Awad fell short in his bid to win the 1995 Sword Dancer at Saratoga, losing to his Old Friends' paddock mate, Kiri's Clown. But he bounced back in 1997, taking the 1 1/2-mile grass test with Pat Day aboard and setting a track record of 2:23.20, a record he still held at the time of his death. Awad's other major stakes credits include victories in the 1994 Hialeah Turf Cup (G3) and Bougainvillea (G3) as well as the 1992 Pilgrim S. (G3), a runner-up effort as the defending champion in the 1996 Arlington Million, and placings in such events as the Turf Classic Invitational (G1), Hollywood Turf Cup (G1), San Juan Capistrano H. (G1) and Man o' War S. (G1), to name just a few. Awad entered stud at Northview Stallion Station in Maryland in 1999, where he sired one stakes winner, Underbidder, and the multiple stakes-placed Arab Miss. Out of the multiple stakes-winning mare Dancer's Candy, Awad was a half-brother to Grade 3 victor Rough Opening (Opening Verse) and multiple Group 2-placed stakes queen Digitalize (Dayjur). Awad's broodmare sire was another tough-as-nails turf warrior, Noble Dancer (GB). Norway's Horse of the Year in 1976, Noble Dancer won back-to-back editions of both the United Nations S. (G1) and San Luis Rey (G1) among his 10 U.S. stakes scores. Awad's connections paid poignant tribute. "He was a great horse -- he had a tremendous impact on everyone," Donk said Saturday from his barn at Saratoga. "He got the best care of his life while at Old Friends, and we're so glad we got visit him there last year." "It's been an honor to be associated with a such a champion as Awad," Blowen said. "He was a favorite at the farm and a favorite of so many of the visiting fans. He will be sorely missed." For more information about Old Friends, contact the main office at (502) 863-1775 or log onto the website.
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