Pentelicus, Florida stallion, dead

LEXINGTON, Ky. - Pentelicus, one of Florida's top 10 sires, died on Aug. 29 after developing a digestive tract disorder that led to laminitis.

Pentelicus, who was 18, stood at Mike O'Farrell's Ocala Stud Farms in Ocala, Fla., and was the state's ninth-leading sire by progeny earnings at the time of his death.

O'Farrell said Wednesday that Pentelicus had shown signs of digestive problems and then foundered about a month ago. Laminitis, also known as founder, is a common complication in horses with other ailments.

"We had him stabilized for about three weeks and he seemed to be doing all right, but then he took a turn for the worse," O'Farrell said. O'Farrell said Pentelicus was euthanized at the farm.

Pentelicus is the sire of graded winners Penny Blues, How About Now, Hair Spray, and Dontletthebigonego, among other stakes winners. He covered about 50 mares in 2002, O'Farrell said.

Pentelicus hailed from the highly successful Tartan Farms breeding program. By Fappiano out of the In Reality mare Charedi, he was a half-brother to Gana Facil, the dam of 1990 Kentucky Derby and Breeders' Cup Classic winner Unbridled.

Between his racing debut in 1986 and his final season in 1990, Pentelicus won 11 of 37 career starts, including the 1986 Mayflower Stakes, the 1989 La Crosse Handicap, and the 1990 Johnny Morris Handicap. He retired with a record of 37-11-3-5 and earnings of $267,742.