Pure Prize dies in Argentina at age 23

Argentinian leading sire Pure Prize, who produced top-level performers in both the Northern and Southern hemispheres, died last weekend at Haras La Providencia in his adopted country, according to Turf Diario. The son of Storm Cat and Hall of Fame racemare Heavenly Prize was 23.

Racing for the Phipps Stable, Pure Prize won 5 of 17 career starts, including the Grade 2 Kentucky Cup Classic in 2002. He stood at Vinery Stud and also spent one season at WinStar Farm in Kentucky. After regularly shuttling to stand Southern Hemisphere seasons in Argentina, he took up permanent residence in that country in 2013 and was pensioned in 2016.

Along the way, Pure Prize has sired 96 stakes winners worldwide to date, led by nine international champions. The majority of those champions have come in Argentina, with the most noteworthy of those being Hi Happy, the 2015 Triple Crown winner and Horse of the Year. He later came to the United States to win the Grade 1 Man o' War in 2018.

Pure Prize’s daughter Blue Prize was a top-level winner in her native Argentina before coming to the United States to win three more Grade 1 events, including the 2019 Breeders' Cup Distaff.

Pure Prize also is the sire of U.S. Grade 1 winners Pure Clan and Pure Fun.