Pure Prize, Leading Sire in Argentina, Dies at 23

Pure Prize , a two-time leading sire in Argentina who produced grade 1 performers in both the Northern and Southern Hemispheres, died May 15 at Haras La Providencia, bloodstock agent Jose Laudo DeCamargo told BloodHorse. The son of Storm Cat, who died from complications of a stroke, was 23.

DeCamargo, of Santa Escolastica near Versailles, Ky., has arranged stallion shuttle deals to South America since the early 1990s and helped launch Pure Prize's stud career in Argentina.

Pure Prize was bred in Kentucky by Phipps Stable. He is out of the champion Seeking the Gold mare Heavenly Prize , making him a full brother to multiple grade 1 winner Good Reward  and a half brother to the dams of grade 1 winners Persistently  and Instilled Regard  . Shug McGaughey trained Pure Prize for the Phipps family, and the horse tallied a 5-5-2 record in 17 starts while earning $475,459. His most significant victory came in the Kentucky Cup Classic Handicap (G2) at Turfway Park. 

Pure Prize began his stud career in 2003 at Vinery Stud in Lexington and shuttled to Argentina. DeCamargo said that Vinery's former general manager Bates Newton suggested he purchase part of Pure Prize, which he did, so the horse would receive support in both North and South America. Pure Prize stood at WinStar Farm for a season in 2013 when the Vinery stallions were moved there before he permanently took up residence in Argentina, where he stood at Haras Carampangue. He was pensioned in 2016 and retired to Haras La Providencia.

Through May 17, Pure Prize, who led Argentina's stallion ranks in 2012-13, had sired 1,138 winners from 1,431 starters worldwide, of which nine were champions. Ninety of his progeny were black-type winners, and 48 of those were graded winners. His progeny earnings stand at $74,934,255.

One of Pure Prize's recent sensations is Blue Prize , an Argentina-bred mare who was a grade 1 winner in her native country and the United States. Blue Prize was a two-time winner of the Juddmonte Spinster Stakes (G1) and closed her career with a victory in the 2019 Longines Breeders' Cup Distaff (G1). The championship win helped her bring a price tag of $5 million at The November Sale, Fasig-Tipton's premier breeding stock sale in Lexington, where Larry Best's OXO Equine purchased her from Bluegrass Thoroughbred Services' consignment.

Other top runners by Pure Prize include Quechua, a grade 2 winner in Argentina that went on to be a multi-champion in Singapore; Hi Happy , Argentina's Horse of the Year that won the Man o' War Stakes (G1T) after moving to the U.S.; Winning Prize , another Argentina champion sent stateside who won the Frank E. Kilroe Mile (G1T); and Pure Clan , a Kentucky-bred who won the American Oaks Invitational Stakes (G1T) and Flower Bowl Invitational Stakes (G1T). Outside North and South America, DeCamargo said Pure Prize also had winners in Japan, Korea, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Sweden, and multiple other countries.

DeCamargo also reported that Brazilian sire Redattore , a grade 1 winner in the U.S. and his native Brazil, also died Saturday. The Roi Normand son was 26.

Redattore was bred by Haras Santa Ana do Rio Grande out of the Deputy Minister mare Political Intrigue. He made his mark in the states racing for owner Luis Alfredo Taunay and trainer Richard Mandella and earned top scores in the Eddie Read Handicap (G1T) and Shoemaker Breeders' Cup Mile (G1T), and also won the San Antonio Handicap (G2) on dirt. Racing from ages 2-8, he collected a 15-2-6 record from 32 starts and earned $1,799,883.

Redattore entered stud in 2004 in Brazil, standing at Haras Calunga Agropecuaria, and joined the Harris Farms stallion roster in California the following year, shuttling between the two countries. He ultimately took up full-time residence in Brazil and stood at Haras Old Friends. He was recently moved to Haras Basano where he died, according to DeCamargo. 

Through Monday, Redattore's 14 crops of racing age feature 509 winners from 752 starters, 40 black-type winners (25 graded), two champions, and collective earnings of $16,187,084. Hip top progeny include Brazilian champion George Washington ; Compari , winner of the Budweiser Arcadia Handicap (G1T) and third in the Kilroe Mile; and Editore , a grade 1 winner in Brazil who won two editions of the Berkeley Handicap (G3) in the U.S.