Champion Kentucky based sire El Prado died of a heart attack on Monday morning.  The 20 year-old son of Sadler’s Wells, who was based at Frank Stronach’s Adena Springs, had suffered from declining fertility in recent years.

El Prado’s first crop contained top colt Medaglia D’Oro, a G1 winner of the Travers Stakes, Whitney Handicap and Donn Handicap.  He helped propel El Prado to Champion US sire honours in 2002.

Medaglia D’Oro’s own stallion career has made a similarly bright start with his first crop containing Champion filly Rachel Alexandra.  He is now part of Sheikh Mohammed’s US stallion roster.

Other top-class performers sired by El Prado include Kitten’s Joy, Borrego, Australian shuttler Artie Schiller and recent G1 Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud winner Spanish Moon.

El Prado was bred at Vincent O’Brien’s Lyonstown Stud.  Sadler’s Wells got him from Irish 1000 Guineas winner Lady Capulet.  He was rated Ireland’s Champion 2yo of 1991 after winning the Railway, National and Beresford Stakes.