European champion and sire Dayjur was euthanized Wednesday at Shadwell Farm
in Lexington, Kentucky, due to the infirmities of old age, according to an
announcement from the farm. He was 26 and had been pensioned since 2010.
“Dayjur was one great racehorse. He gave Sheikh Hamdan, and all of us at
Shadwell, many great thrills — including his shadow-jumping antics in the
Breeders’ Cup (Sprint),” Shadwell Vice President Rick Nichols said. “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 Hofmann, Dayjur was by Danzig out of 1982
champion sprinter Gold Beauty. Purchased at Keeneland July by Sheikh Hamdan al
Maktoum for $1.65 million, he went to renowned trainer Major Dick Hern and won
seven races and finished second three times from 11 starts. Dubbed “the fastest
horse in the world” by the Racing Post, Dayjur was the Horse of the Year,
champion sprinter, and champion three-year-old in England in 1990, and was the
highweight in Europe and champion three-year-old in France.
Dayjur set a course record winning the Nunthorpe Stakes at York, won the Prix
de l’Abbaye de Longchamp by daylight under 137 pounds, went wire-to-wire in the
Haydock Sprint Cup, and won Royal Ascot’s King’s Stand Stakes. One of his most
memorable performances came in the 1990 Breeders’ Cup Sprint at Belmont Park,
where he appeared to be on his way to victory but jumped a shadow deep in the
stretch and finished second by a neck to the champion filly Safely Kept.
Dayjur was retired to stud at Shadwell Farm in 1991. During his career he
sired three champions, some 30 stakes winners, and over 60 stakes horses.
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