Derby winner Strike the Gold dies

Strike the Gold, winner of the 1991 Kentucky Derby, has died in Turkey at the

age of 23. Representatives of the Turkish Jockey Club confirmed the death

Wednesday to various trade dailies. At the time of his death, Strike the Gold

was the oldest living winner of the Run for the Roses.

Bred by Calumet Farm, Strike the Gold was the first of two Kentucky Derby

winners for Hall of Fame trainer Nick Zito and the late jockey Chris Antley. A

confirmed closer, the chestnut son of Alydar rallied to win the Derby by 1 3/4

lengths over future Hall of Fame inductee Best Pal. A distant sixth in the

Preakness Stakes, he was a head second in the Belmont Stakes to eventual

divisional champion Hansel.

Campaigned by B. Giles Brophy, William Condren, and Joseph Cornacchia at

three, Strike the Gold entered the Kentucky Derby following a second in the

Grade 1 Florida Derby and a three-length score in the Grade 2 Blue Grass Stakes.

He is the last horse to date to sweep both the Blue Grass and the Kentucky

Derby.

Strike the Gold placed twice in five starts after the 1991 Belmont, running

third in the Grade 2 Jim Dandy Stakes and the Grade 1 Jockey Club Gold Cup.

In 1992, Condren and Cornacchia bought out Brophy's share when buying the

colt outright for $2.9 million at Fasig-Tipton New York. Strike the Gold went on

to win the Grade 1 Pimlico Special and Grade 2 Nassau County H. (G2), and placed

in three other top-level events.

Strike the Gold was retired after winning one of three starts in 1993,

accumulating a mark of 31-6-8-5, $3,457,026. He originally stood at Viner near

Midway, Kentucky, and was sold to Turkey in 1998. A highly successful stallion

in Turkey, Strike the Gold was euthanized Tuesday after breaking a fetlock while

collapsing from a heart attack.

Produced by the stakes-winning Hatchet Man mare Majestic Gold, Strike the

Gold was a full brother to multiple Grade 3 winner Greydar.