European Champion Aljabr Dies At 22
Aljabr at Shadwell Stud
Aljabr, a Cartier Champion 2-Year-Old colt, died Feb. 6 at Shadwell Farm in Lexington, Ky, of a heart attack. The 22-year-old horse had been a pensioner at the farm since 2013.
Bred, foaled, and raised at Shadwell, Aljabr was a striking grey son of Storm Cat out of Sierra Madre, a Group 1-winning 2-year-old in France. Aljabr proved to be an outstanding juvenile himself, going undefeated in his three starts that season. Raced by Godolphin and trained by Saeed bin Suroor, Aljabr broke his maiden at Sandown, won the Vintage S.-G3 at Goodwood, and then scored a wire-to-wire victory in the prestigious Prix de la Salamandre-G1 at Longchamp. On the strength of that performance, he was named Cartier Champion 2-Year-Old.
At three, Aljabr set a new course record winning the Sussex S.-G1 and placed in the St. James’s Palace S.-G1 at Royal Ascot. Winner of the Juddmonte Lockinge S.-G1 at four, Aljabr retired with five wins and a second from nine starts with earnings of nearly $600,000.
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“Aljabr will be remembered for his championship juvenile season, but he was a Group 1 winner at three and four as well,” said Shadwell Vice President Rick Nichols. “His victory in the Sussex Stakes was historic, he set a course record in top company in a 160-year-old stakes race.”
Aljabr retired to stud at Shadwell in 2001 and relocated to Ascot Stud in Ontario Canada in 2008. From 11 crops, he sired 202 foals and 91 winners. Included among his 10 stakes winners, 17 stakes horses, was 2008 Canadian Classic-winning filly Northern Kraze.
He will be buried at Shadwell.
