Claiborne stallion Arch dies of heart attack

Grade 1 winner and prominent Claiborne Farm sire Arch died Jan. 20 of an apparent heart attack at the Paris, Ky., farm. The son of Kris S. was 21.

“We are saddened by the loss of Arch,” Claiborne stallion manager Bernie Sams said. “He was a classy stallion who had the ability to sire top-class horses that performed well both on the track and in the auction ring.”

Bred by Helen Groves and Helen Alexander, the regally-bred Arch was purchased for $710,000 as a yearling by longtime partners Claiborne Farm and Adele Dilschneider, for whom he fashioned outstanding racing and breeding careers. Arch won 5 of 7 starts in his brief racing career, highlighted by a score in the Grade 1 Super Derby and a track record-setting performance in winning the Grade 3 Fayette at Keeneland.

Arch is best known as the sire of champion Blame, who handed Zenyatta her only career defeat in a thrilling finish in the 2010 Breeders' Cup Classic at Churchill Downs. Blame also won the Grade 1 Whitney Handicap, Grade 1 Stephen Foster Handicap, and three other graded stakes. In total, he won 9 of 13 starts while never missing the board, earning more than $4.3 million. Campaigned as a homebred for Claiborne and Dilschneider, he retired to Claiborne following his Classic victory.

Arch, who began his stud career at Claiborne in 1999, is also the sire of Canadian Horse of the Year Arravale and Grade/Group 1 winners Grand Arch, Hymn Book, Archarcharch, Pine Island, Prince Arch, Love Theway Youare, and Les Arcs. In total, he has sired 514 winners, including 59 stakes winners, for earnings of $53,494,555.

Arch also has become a prominent broodmare sire, with his daughters producing juvenile champion and outstanding freshman sire Uncle Mo, and dual classic winner and champion I'll Have Another.

Out of the Danzig mare Aurora, Arch was a half brother to champion Festival of Light and Grade 1 winner Acoma, as well as a full brother to stakes winner Alisios. His second dam is champion Althea, and the female family traces directly to blue hen Courtly Dee.