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Sally Duckett

Claiborne Farm's 23-year-old stallion Seeking The Gold has beenretired. The farm's bloodstock manager Bernie Sams reported that a number of factors led to the decision being taken by the farm, not least the stallion's age.

The son of Mr Prospector has been a highly influential stallion producing 88 stakes winners(10 per cent stakes winners to foals) and five champions: Dubai Millennium, Seeking The Pearl, Heavenly Prize, Flanders and Catch The Ring, and three Breeders' Cup winners.

His other Grade 1 winners include horses such as Wood Memorial winner Bob and John, Ballerina Handicap winner Dream Supreme, Florida Derby victor Cape Town and the Belmont Stakes winner Jazil whose dam Better Than Honour recently fetched $14 million at the Fasig-Tipton November Mixed sale, a world-record price for a broodmare.

Seeking The Gold's European impact was felt most keenly courtesy of Sheikh Mohammed's four-time Group 1 winner Dubai Millennium, the leading prize-money earner for his sire. The horse, a favourite of the Sheikh's who won the Dubai World Cup-Gr1 by six lengths, only sired one crop before tragically dying from grass sickness. In that crop was the Guineas winner and current Darley stallion Dubawi, whose first crop will be runners next year.

Bred by the Phipps family, Seeking The Gold was raised at Claiborne Farm. He went on to win the Super Derby-Gr1, the Dwyer Stakes-Gr2, the Peter Pan Stakes-Gr2 and the Swale Stakes. He finished second in five Grade 1 events including in the Breeders' Cup Classic behind Alysheba, and earned over $2 million in prize-money.