Top sire and dual Grade I winner Seeking the Gold (Mr. Prospector–Con Game, by Buckpasser), 31, was euthanized Thursday at Claiborne Farm due to the infirmities of old age.
“We're saddened by the loss of this magnificent racehorse and stallion,” said Daisy Phipps, graddaughter of the late Ogden Phipps. “He meant so much to my grandfather and the Phipps Stable breeding program.”
Born and raised at Claiborne Farm, the Phipps homebred opened his account with a quarter of victories, including the 1988 Swale S. Winner of the GII Peter Pan S. and GI Dwyer S. later that year, Seeking the Gold completed the exacta behind Claiborne's homebred champion Forty Niner in both the GI Haskell Invitational S. and GI Travers S. Scoring his second win at the highest level in the 1988 GI Super Derby, the Shug McGaughey pupil finished second to Hall of Famer Alysheba in the GI Breeders' Cup Classic at Churchill Downs.
Seeking the Gold made just two starts in the spring of 1989, winning a Belmont allowance and finishing second in the GI Metropolitan H. just nine days later. He retired to Claiborne Farm, where he stood for his entire stud career, with a record of 15-8-6-0 and earnings of $2,307,000.
“He was a very, very successful racehorse,” commented McGaughey. “One of my all-time favorites. He gave 110% every time.”
Seeking the Gold carried his success from the racetrack straight into his stallion career, earning the title of leading freshman sire in 1993 and was second to the great Storm Cat on the General Sire list in 2000. Responsible for 91 stakes winners and three Breeders' Cup winners, the bay sired five champions in Dubai Millennium, Seeking the Pearl, Heavenly Prize, Flander and Catch the Ring. The famed stallion, who at his peak stood for $250,000, was pensioned in November 2008 at the age of 24.
“He will be sorely missed,” said Claiborne's Bernie Sams. “There's no doubt he will go down as one of the all-time greats. He was a valued member of the Claiborne Farm family and an important part of this farm's storied 100-plus year history.”
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