Renowned Quarter Horse Danjer dies of aneurysm at age 7

Danjer, a 17-time stakes winner at seven tracks and one of the most successful Quarter Horses in history, died on Sunday from the effects of an aneurysm in the stables at Ruidoso Downs in New Mexico.

The news was first reported by TRACK Magazine.

Danjer was 7. He won 22 of 35 starts and earned $2,499,432, placing him third on the all-time money earnings list behind Ochoa ($2,781,365) and Kj Desparado ($2,772,603).

Ochoa, who raced from 2011 to 2013, won 11 of 16 starts, including the $2.4 million All American Futurity at Ruidoso Downs in 2011. Kj Desparado, who is in training for a 4-year-old campaign this year, has won 12 of 18 starts, including the $3 million All American Futurity in 2021.

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Danjer and Kj Desparado were first and second, separated by three-quarters of a length, in the Championship at Sunland Park last December, their only meeting.

Danjer was bred by Dean Frey, who trained and co-owned the gelding with Pat Guthrie and Billy Smith.

This year, Danjer was unbeaten in two starts at Remington Park – the Leo Stakes at 400 yards on May 6, and the Debbie Schauf Remington Park Championship at 440 yards on May 28.

Danjer also won the Remington Park Championship in 2021 and 2022.

The race is considered the leading stakes for older Quarter Horses in the Midwest. Danjer and Tailor Fit (1999-2001) are the only three-time winners of the Remington Park Championship.

Danjer, an Oklahoma-bred by Fdd Dynasty, did not qualify for the All American Futurity as a 2-year-old in 2018, but did win the consolation, the All American Juvenile.

Danjer seemed to improve with age, winning 4 of 6 starts in 2020, and 5 of 7 starts in both 2021 and 2022. Aside from the Remington Park Championship, some of his leading stakes wins were the American Quarter Horse Association Challenge Championship at the Downs at Albuquerque in 2020 and 2021 and the same race at Horseshoe Indianapolis last October; and the 2021 All American Gold Cup at Ruidoso Downs.

Last December, Danjer was second by 1 1/4 lengths to 2022 World Champion Empressum in the Champion of Champions at Los Alamitos in what is widely considered to be the strongest running of the 50-year-old race.

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