2009 Dubai Duty Free (G1T) and Premio Vittorio di Capua (G1) winner Gladiatorus has died at Windmill View Stud in County Galway, Ireland, where the 19-year-old had stood for the final four years of his stallion career.
The winner of seven stakes races had been receiving treatment for laminitis for a period of time, but the decision to euthanize the son of Breeders' Cup Mile (G1T) winner Silic was taken at the weekend by stud owner John Lynch in conjunction with his veterinary team.
"We were trying to keep him going for six months but he wasn't getting any better and we had to make the sad choice," reported Lynch, who will miss the gentle and kind-natured stallion.
"He was an absolute dote; I sat my grandchildren up on him he was that quiet and kind, he never turned a hair at anything. He was such a lovely horse to have and we will miss him greatly."
Gladiatorus was bred in Kentucky by Azienda Agricola le Ferriere di Raponi Giampaolo and began his racing career in Italy as a juvenile, where he won six of his nine starts, including four listed races. He ended the season finishing second in the Gran Criterium (G1) under Frankie Dettori.
He was then purchased by Godolphin, but injury kept him off the track as a 3-year-old. Transferred to Dubai, he ran three times at 4 for trainer Mubarak bin Shafya, for whom he was unbeaten. Those victories included the Dubai Duty Free and the Al Fahidi Fort (G2T).
After his top-level triumph, he returned to Europe and the yard of Saeed bin Suroor to contest the Queen Anne Stakes (G1), in which he finished down the field. His second group 1 came back in Italy for Godolphin, and he was retired at the end of the 2009 season after running ninth the Breeders' Cup Mile at Santa Anita Park.
"His best year was the same year as Sea The Stars, and Gladiatorus earned a rating of 119 for his group 1 win in Dubai, where he beat Archipenko, Vodka, and Paco Boy," said Lynch.
He began his stud career in Italy in 2010 and remained there until 2018. He sired the dual listed winner and group-placed Presley, the best performer by Gladiatorus.
After that, he moved to Withyslade Farm in Wiltshire before Lynch's acquisition precipitated his arrival in Galway.
"Marie Sullivan at Godolphin helped me to source Gladiatorus, and it's through her that I found other stallions such as New South Wales, who stood here previously, along with Island House and Gatewood," Lynch explained of how Gladiatorus came to be in Galway.
"Gladiatorus, like Gatewood, covered only a handful of mares and his oldest Irish-breds are 3-year-olds, but I think they will show how good he could have been."
