Dashing Blade, Group 1 winner and leading sire in Germany, dies at age 26

Dashing Blade, a three-time Group 1 winner and leading sire in Germany, was euthanized at age 26 due to neurological problems, Racing Post reports.

Bred in Great Britain by Littleton Stud, the son of Elegant Air was one of Europe’s top juveniles in 1989, winning the Group 1 Dewhurst Stakes in England and the National Stakes in Ireland.

Dashing Blade followed up during his 3-year-old campaign with wins in Italy’s Group 1 Gran Premio d’Italia and the French Group 2 Prix Eugene Adam. He nearly added a fifth country to his group stakes-winning résumé, finishing second in the Group 1 Bayerisches Zuchtrennen in Germany.

Dashing Blade retired after his sophomore season with six wins in 11 starts for earnings of $550,075.

At stud, Dashing Blade became one of Central Europe’s leading sires, standing at Gestut Etzean in Germany. From 20 crops and 949 foals of racing age, he has sired 533 winners and 67 stakes winners (seven percent) to date. He was pensioned earlier this year.

The list of Dashing Blade’s best runners includes Group 1 winners Lord of England, Faberger, and Noble Pearl and Group 2 winner Proudwings. He was Germany’s leading sire in 1998 and also left a mark as a sire in the Czech Republic, Switzerland, and Austrla.

Dashing Blade was also a productive a broodmare sire, as his daughters have produced such notables as 2011’s champion turf female Stacelita.