Rockamundo, 1993 Arkansas Derby winner and sire, dead

Rockamundo, upset winner of the 1993 Arkansas Derby, died on Jan. 18 at age 23 due to complications from colic. The son of Key to the Mint stood at Jim Plemmons’ Old Frankfort Stud near Frankfort, Ky.

Campaigned by Gary and Mary West, Rockamundo placed in three stakes as a juvenile but was winless in his first three starts of early 1993 before scoring at 108-to-1 odds under Calvin Borel in the Arkansas Derby at Oaklawn Park.

He subsequently was unplaced in both the Kentucky Derby and Preakness and retired in 1994 with two wins from 17 starts and earnings of $383,625.

A Kentucky-bred out of the Nijinsky II mare Crystal Cup, Rockamundo was a half brother to group stakes winners Iktamal and First Magnitude.

He sired 22 winners from 69 foals of racing age during his stud career.