Dayjur, 26
 

http://www.drf.com/news/dayjur-engli...d-sire-dies-26

Dayjur, an English champion who provided one of the most memorable moments in Breeders’ Cup history when runner-up in the 1990 Sprint, was euthanized Wednesday at Sheikh Hamdan al-Maktoum’s Shadwell Farm in Lexington, Ky., due to the infirmities of old age. The son of Danzig was 26.

“Dayjur was one great racehorse,” Shadwell vice president Rick Nichols said. “He gave Sheikh Hamdan, and all of us at Shadwell, many great thrills. He was the cornerstone of our stallion operation, and he was a wonderful horse to be around. He will be deeply missed.”

Bred in Kentucky by Georgia E. Hoffman, Dayjur was out of champion sprinter Gold Beauty, by Mr. Prospector. He was purchased by Sheikh Hamdan for $1.65 million at the Keeneland July yearling sale in 1988 and sent to England to race. There, under the guidance of Major R.W. “Dick” Hern, Dayjur became the English Horse of the Year as a 3-year-old. During his sensational 1990 campaign, Dayjur won five group stakes, including three Group 1’s – the Ladbroke Sprint Cup, the Keeneland Nunthorpe Stakes, both in England; and the Prix de l’Abbaye de Longchamp in France.

1990 BC Sprint: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0xgZV9ADl9s

In the 1990 Breeders’ Cup Sprint at Belmont, Dayjur engaged the filly Safely Kept, the defending Eclipse Award winner as champion sprinter, at the top of the stretch and pulled ahead in the final yards only to jump a shadow nearing the finish and lose by a neck. He retired after the Breeders’ Cup with 6 wins from 9 starts and earnings of $750,770.

Was there and '90 Sprint remembered for Dayjur's shadow jump but on the turn, Mr. Nickerson's cardiac incident claims him and Shaker Knit to start the tragic afternoon.

Such a sad day for a number of reasons. Poor Go For Wand. I rewatched the 1990 BC Sprint and it just makes me sick watching Mr. Nickerson rear up. I think the old BC website had it so that the clip of Go For Wand breaking down was removed from the coverage of the Distaff, but I'm sure it's on Youtube in its entirety now.

I was sad when I heard Dayjur was being pensioned, now he's gone. :( It feels like these horses should still be young. When a horse you vividly remember dies of old age, it's hard not to feel like you need to go out and get a bright red Ferrari to show that you, in fact, are very much the opposite of an old codger.