Leroidesanimaux dead at 16

Champion Leroidesanimaux, sire of versatile champion and classic winner Animal Kingdom, has died at Lanwades Stud in Newmarket, England, following complications from injuries suffered in a paddock accident earlier this year. The son of Candy Stripes was 16 in Northern Hemisphere time.

Leroidesanimaux, Group 1-placed in his native Brazil, later came to North America to win the Grade 1 Citation Handicap and two other graded stakes events in 2004. He added Grade 1 scores in the Atto Mile and Frank E. Kilroe Mile Handicap and finished second in the Breeders’ Cup Mile in 2005 to earn Eclipse Award honors as champion turf male. The multiple course record-setter retired with 9 wins from 13 starts for earnings of $1,658,377. Leroidesanimaux entered stud in Kentucky in 2006, and later relocated to Florida, where he most recently stood in the U.S. He relocated to England beginning with the 2014 season.

Leroidesanimaux has sired 21 stakes winners to date, led by 2011 Eclipse Award champion 3-year-old male Animal Kingdom. who bankrolled more than $8.3 million and only finished worse than second twice while winning the Kentucky Derby and Dubai World Cup. He was also multiple Grade 1-placed on turf, including a runner-up effort to champion Wise Dan in the Breeders’ Cup Mile; and was a Grade 3 winner on synthetic. He is now a member of the international Darley Stallions operation, shuttling between Australia and Kentucky. His first North American foals are yearlings of 2016.

Leroidesanimaux is also the sire of multiple Grade 2 winner Always a Princess, Grade 2 winner Sarah’s Secret, and Grade 3 winner Leroy’s Dynameaux.