Harness: World Champion American Ideal dies

World Champion racehorse and sire American Ideal, a dual hemisphere stallion, died yesterday at the age of 22. He stood since the beginning of his career at Blue Chip Farms in the U.S. and had stood in Australia at Llowalong Farms in conjunction with Woodlands Stud of New Zealand.

While quarantined in Australia awaiting shipping back to the U.S., the horse developed severe colic. During emergency surgery numerous cancerous masses were revealed, which resulted in the horse being humanely euthanized.

“It’s a sad day, as American Ideal was a longtime member of the Brittany family, and also endeared himself to everyone at Blue Chip Farms,” said Art Zubrod, manager of Brittany Farms and Brittany Stallion Management. “He was a sire who was an easy breeder with intelligence and a great personality.

“I like to say he never had a ‘down year,’ as since his first crop stepped on the track he has produced champions or prominent stakes winners every single year.”

American Ideal p,3,1:47 4/5 ($786,055), by Western Ideal-Lifetime Success, was bred and raised by Brittany Farms and sold as a Tattersalls yearling. He raced from 2004 through 2006 for Mac Nichol, who partnered with Brittany during the colt’s sophomore season.

American Ideal’s most prominent victories included the Bluegrass Stakes in a then-World Record 1:47 4/5, the Tattersall's Pace, Confederation Cup and Provincial Cup.

With a stallion career managed by Brittany Stallion Management, from 2009 to the present day American Ideal had sired the winners of more than $163-million in North America and $18.6-million in Australia. He had sired 18 worldwide millionaires and produced a career total of 70 yearlings that have sold for $100,000 or more.

His progeny is led by such greats as 2 and 3-year-old World Champion American Jewel p,3,1:48 2/5 ( $1,840,656), World Champion and Meadowlands Pace winner He’s Watching p,3,1:46 4/5 ($1,16,450), Heston Blue Chip p,3,1:48f ($1,781,881) and American History p,3,1:47 ($1,561,817). One of his newest millionaires, Copy That, captured the $1,000,000 Race By Grins FFA Pace in New Zealand last year.

American Ideal is the all-time leading money-winning pacing sire in the New York Sire Stakes program. Last year alone his 2 and 3-year-olds earned almost $2-million in NYSS competition and included NYSS 2YO Filly Pace Champion Peace Talks p,2,1:55 4/5h ($225,569).

-edited release (Brittany Stallion Management)