Longtime Maryland stallion Outflanker, the oldest of the last four active sons of Danzig standing in the United States, was euthanized Aug. 25 due to complications associated with old age, according to Shamrock Farm, where he stood since 2010. He was 29.
"He was a class horse and wonderful stallion," said Jim Steele, the manager of Shamrock Farm. "He had a good temperament, was easy to handle, and never caused any trouble. I have heard from a lot of people that his progeny had the same quiet attitude. When they were done as racehorses, they became good hunters and good riding horses because they were so easygoing."
Outflanker was bred in Kentucky by W.S. Farish and W.S. Kilroy out of the stakes-placed winner Lassie's Lady, a daughter of Alydar and a half sister to leading sire A.P. Indy's dam, Weekend Surprise. International bloodstock agent Demi O'Byrne bought Outflanker at the 1995 Keeneland July Sale for $375,000 and sent him to Europe, where he raced for Michael Tabor. Trained initially by Peter Chapple-Hyam and later Aidan O'Brien, the colt placed five times at best out of 10 starts.
Despite his poor performance as a racehorse, Outflanker's pedigree opened the door to a chance at stud. He stood his first two seasons at Bonnie Heath Farm near Ocala, Fla., stood for one season at Sez Who Thoroughbreds, and then moved to Cloverleaf Farm II, which are also in the Ocala area. In 2004, Maryland bloodstock agent Don Litz built the Maryland Stallion Station and recruited Outflanker and Rock Slide among others for the roster.
Steele was the stallion manager at the Maryland Stallion Station at the same time he was running Shamrock Farm. The Maryland Stallion Station would close its doors in 2009, and Outflanker and Rock Slide were sent to Shamrock.
Outflanker proved to be a useful stallion, with nearly 80% starters from foals and 350 winners that included 22 black-type winners led by graded stakes winners Bayou's Lassie, Javerre, and Bushwacker. Bayou's Lassie was a six-time stakes winner who captured the Churchill Downs Distaff Turf Mile (G3T), Frances A. Genter Stakes (G3T), and the Stage Door Betty Handicap (G3).
As a broodmare sire, Outflanker made his biggest impact through Kosmo's Buddy, who won or placed in 14 stakes and went on to produce 2021 Horse of the Year and champion older dirt male Knicks Go . The son of Paynter, bred in Maryland by Angie Moore, became a seven-time grade 1 winner. During his championship year, he won the Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1), Whitney Stakes (G1), and Breeders' Cup Classic (G1). He was retired to stud at Taylor Made Stallions with a 10-4-1 record from 25 starts and $9,258,135 in earnings.
Outflanker as a broodmare sire has been represented by 11 black-type winners and two champions—Knicks Go and 2010 Canadian champion 2-year-old male Madman Diaries by Bring the Heat out of Harper N Abbey.
Outflanker was actively covering mares through 2022.
"You don't even know if he'd get a chance to be a stallion today," said Steele. "But being a son of Danzig at the time he went to stud, he got that chance, and here he's produced runners with nearly $31 million in progeny earnings."
