Cherokee Colony dead at age 19

Cherokee Colony, a Grade 1 winner and California sire, died Dec. 10 at the University of California at Davis, the California Thoroughbred Breeders Association has announced. He was 19 and stood at Blooming Hills in Clements, Calif. His fee in 2004 was advertised as $2,500 live foal.

Cherokee Colony, a son of Pleasant Colony and Cherokee Phoenix, won the Grade 1 Flamingo Stakes in 1988 and the Grade 2 San Carlos Handicap in 1989. He also placed in four other Grade 1 races: the Young America, Wood Memorial, San Antonio Handicap, and Florida Derby. He retired with a record of 3-3-2 from 11 starts and earnings of $474,380.

At stud, Cherokee Colony sired multiple stakes-winner Tucumcari, Grade 3-placed stakes winner Cherokee Wonder, track record setter Cherokee Native, and Dominican Republic champion Klindo from 13 crops to race. At his death, Cherokee Colony had sired eight black-type winners and had more than $8.4 million in progeny earnings.