Grindstone, 1996 Kentucky Derby winner, dead at 29

Grindstone, memorable winner of the 1996 Kentucky Derby, has died at age 29. Oakhurst Equine Veterinary Services of Newberg, Ore., which stood the stallion for more than a decade, reported his passing on Wednesday on its social media channels.

“Thank you for providing us with a thrill of a lifetime,” Oakhurst posted. “You changed our lives when you joined us and will always be missed.”

Grindstone briefly claimed the title of the oldest living Kentucky Derby winner following the death of 1994 victor Go for Gin on March 8. That torch now passes to 1997 winner Silver Charm, who resides at Old Friends in Kentucky.

Grindstone, from the first crop of 1990 Kentucky Derby winner and prominent sire Unbridled, raced as a homebred for the late William T. Young’s Overbrook Farm, and was trained by Hall of Famer Wayne Lukas. A maiden winner at 2, he won the Grade 3 Louisiana Derby in March of 1996, and was subsequently second, beaten a neck, in the Grade 2 Arkansas Derby the following month.

Grindstone was the lesser-regarded half of an Overbrook-Lukas entry in the 1996 Kentucky Derby with Editor’s Note. They were sent away as the third choice in the Derby wagering, with favoritism going to another first-crop son of Unbridled, Unbridled’s Song, who had been hampered throughout the week by foot problems.

Unbridled’s Song took the lead near the quarter pole but ultimately faded to fifth, with the California-bred gelding Cavonnier, Bob Baffert’s first Kentucky Derby starter, taking command. However, Grindstone, who had been 13th with a half-mile remaining, rallied furiously down the middle of the track under Jerry Bailey, nailing Cavonnier at the wire. His nose victory in the photo finish was the sixth consecutive victory in a Triple Crown race for Lukas, who also took that year’s Belmont with Editor’s Note.

Grindstone’s finest hour on the racetrack proved his last hurrah, as he was retired five days later with a bone chip in his knee, returning home to Overbrook. He subsequently sired Birdstone, who famously denied Smarty Jones the Triple Crown in the 2004 Belmont Stakes. The colt won two other Grade 1 events in New York, taking the Champagne at 2 and the Travers at 3. He extended the classic line another generation, with 2009 Derby winner Mine That Bird and 2009 Belmont winner Summer Bird in his first crop.

Overall, Grindstone is the sire of 38 stakes winners, including additional graded stakes winners Ekolu Place, Frumious, Kid Grindstone, Miss Grindstone, Ommadon, Organ Grinder, and Smooth Maneuvers.

Young, a noted philanthropist who was beloved in the Lexington community, died in 2004, and Overbrook eventually dispersed its stock. Grindstone was acquired by Jack Root’s Oakhurst and stood his first Oregon season in 2010. He was joined at Oakhurst by a second Kentucky Derby winner, 2005 upset winner Giacomo, prior to the 2016 season.