El Prado, champion and influential sire, dies

Daily Racing Form reports that champion and influential sire EL PRADO

(Ire) (Sadler's Wells) died Monday morning at Frank Stronach's Adena Springs

near Paris, Kentucky. The 20-year-old gray stallion succumbed to a heart attack.

Out of 1977 Irish One Thousand Guineas (Ire-G1) heroine Lady Capulet (Sir

Ivor), El Prado reigned as Ireland's champion juvenile in 1991 following scores

in the National S. (Ire-G1), Beresford S. (Ire-G2) and Railway S. (Ire-G3). He

also just missed to St. Jovite in the Anglesey S. (Ire-G3) that season, and

ultimately retired with a mark of 9-4-1-0, $237,600.

The all-conquering Rachel Alexandra is by a son of El Prado (EquiSport Photos) El Prado enjoyed terrific success as an Adena Springs stallion, and he ranked as the nation's leading sire in 2002, the year that his son Medaglia d'Oro won the Travers S. (G1) and placed second in the Belmont S. (G1) and Breeders' Cup Classic (G1). Medaglia d'Oro went on to win the Whitney H. (G1) and Donn H. (G1) as an older horse, while placing in the Dubai World Cup (UAE-G1) and once again in the Breeders' Cup Classic, and bankrolled more than $5.7 million. He is now off to a sensational start at stud himself, with his leading light being Horse of the Year candidate Rachel Alexandra. El Prado's other world-class sons include hot freshman sire Kitten's Joy, who wrapped up the title of champion turf horse in 2004 after taking the Joe Hirsch Turf Classic Invitational S. (G1); Artie Schiller, hero of the 2005 Breeders' Cup Mile (G1); Borrego, star of the 2005 Jockey Club Gold Cup (G1) and Pacific Classic (G1); and this year's Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud (Fr-G1) and Prix Foy (Fr-G2) victor Spanish Moon, who is a candidate for the October 4 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe (Fr-G1).

Among El Prado's top daughters are Asi Siempre, queen of the 2006 Spinster S.

(G1); Grade or Group 2 winners Sweet and Ready, Swingin on Ice and Spanish Sun;

this year's American One Thousand Guineas heroine Consequence and Prix

Saint-Alary (Fr-G1) runner-up Article Rare. He is already making a mark as a

broodmare sire, with his daughters producing the likes of Grade 1 winners Laragh

(Tapit) and Bit of Whimsy (Distorted Humor).

El Prado's progeny were very much in the news just this past weekend. The

eight-year-old millionaire Fort Prado won Saturday's Kentucky Cup Turf Dash S.,

and the four-year-old filly Quiet Meadow came within inches of taking the Noble

Damsel S. (G3) the same day.

El Prado had stood the 2009 season for $75,000.