There are sires, great sires and super sires. And then there was Danehill, the prodigious stallion whose life was a never-ending update of record-breaking accomplishments. The great horse was mercifully euthanised at 17 years of age in Ireland on Tuesday, after injuring a hind leg beyond repair in an unexplained paddock accident.
Despite his advancing years, Danehill was still in great health and could reasonably have been expected to work for another six or more years. His value, calculated at three times annual earning power, was an estimated $600 million.
Twenty years ago, only one stallion, the great Nasrullah, had ever sired more than 100 individual stakes winners. Today, Danehill stands second on the all-time list, with 212 stakes-winning sons or daughters which are sure to be added to significantly in the next few years, with hundreds of his unraced or unborn progeny still to come. Only his Coolmore 'stablemate', Sadler's Wells (214) has sired more.
Just two years ago, Kentucky-based Mr Prospector held the world record of siring 44 individual Group One winners. It was passed by New Zealand's Sir Tristram, who in turn was collared by Sadler's Wells. Today, Danehill is king with 54.
Danehill's last opportunity to showcase his phenomenal prepotence occurred on Sunday, with sons Clodovil and Catcher In The Rye finishing first and second in the French 2000 Guineas at Longchamp. It was a back-to-back Danehill quinella in the French classic, as Rock of Gibraltar and Landseer gave him the 1-2 last year.
Andre Fabre, the perennial champion trainer of France, described Danehill as 'the best stallion in the world today'. John Messara, the Australian breeder who originally chased Danehill down as a stallion prospect in 1989, said: 'He's more than a phenomenon, he's a breed shaper.'
Danehill had an advantage over Nasrullah and most other famous sires in that he served two seasons each year, covering 100-plus mares at Coolmore Stud in County Tipperary, Ireland, before jetting Down Under where a similar harem awaited at Coolmore's Australian division.