Sharp Humor dies in Korea

Grade 2 winner and sire Sharp Humor was reported to have died March 18 at Let’s Run Stud Farm on Korea’s Jeju Island.

The 12-year-old son of Distorted Humor was in the midst of his fourth season at stud in Korea after beginning his career at WinStar Farm in Versailles, Ky., in 2007. He was sold to the Korean Racing Authority, the country’s governing body for racing and breeding, in 2011 and debuted there the following year. His first Korean-sired foals are 2-year-olds of 2015.

Campaigned as a New York homebred by Patricia Purdy, Sharp Humor won 4 of 10 starts during his on-track career for earnings of $490,410. Trained for all but his first start by Dale Romans, Sharp Humor won a pair of New York-bred stakes as a juvenile before winning the Grade 2 Swale Stakes in his 3-year-old debut. WinStar Farm purchased an interest in the horse following his second place finish to Barbaro in the Grade 1 Florida Derby.

Sharp Humor was given time off after coming out of an unplaced effort in the Kentucky Derby with a small fracture in his left knee. He returned later that year to race twice, including a runner-up effort in the Hudson Handicap for New York-breds, before being retired.

Sharp Humor’s U.S. runners were led by Angelica Zapata, a 10-time stakes winner who has earned $649,845 and is in the midst of her sixth season of racing. His other top runners include Louisiana Derby winner Hero of Order, fellow Grade 2 winner Quick Wit, and Grade 3 winners Five Iron, Sharp Sensation, Marchman, Really Sharp, and Sarah Sis.

Internationally, Sharp Humor was led by Good Shine, a two-time champion sprinter in Peru. He also sired champions in Jamaica and the Dominican Republic.

Sharp Humor was bred to 85 mares last year in his final full breeding season.