Attila's Storm Dies at 19 After Colic Surgery

Attila's Storm , a 19-year-old son of Forest Wildcat , died June 23 following colic surgery, according to W.L. Mooring of Double LL Farms in Belen, N.M., where the stallion had been standing since last summer. 

Bred in Kentucky by Lajos Kengye, Attila's Storm is out of the Maryland-bred Magesterial  mare Sweet Symmetry . He was campaigned by his breeder for his first two starts, then was purchased privately by a group comprising Barry K. Schwartz, Wachtel Stable, Double S Stable, and Brouse Stable.

Trained briefly by John DiStefano, the bay horse was turned over to Richard Schosberg following DiStefano's retirement from training and made his way into high-profile races, making his graded stakes debut in the 2005 TVG Breeders' Cup Sprint (G1) at Belmont Park in 2005, where he finished fourth. Later that year, he ran second in the Malibu Stakes (G1) after a victory in the Fall Highweight Handicap. He went on to win the 2007 Toboggan Handicap (G3) at Aqueduct Racetrack, and also hit the board in such prestigious stakes as the 2006 Vosburgh Stakes (G1) and 2007 Forego Stakes (G1). 

"He was a wonderfully talented, fast horse," said Schosberg. "He was super-classy and cool, and everyone just loved him."   

Breaking from post 13, Attila's Storm finished fifth in the TVG Breeders' Cup Sprint in 2006, running on a crooked shoe after one of his rivals grabbed his left hind during the race. He was scheduled to make his third start in that race in 2007 when an ankle injury scuttled those plans. Owner/breeder R.D. Hubbard had approached the ownership group about purchasing the horse before the Breeders' Cup, and when Attila's Storm was retired in the fall of 2007, Hubbard completed the purchase and sent him to stand at JEH Stallion Station near Hondo, N.M.  

"We thought he'd be a good candidate to breed to Quarter Horses and Thoroughbreds in New Mexico, so Mr. Hubbard sent me to New York to look at him," said Tom Goncharoff, Hubbard's longtime farm manager. "I called him and said, 'I love him, come get him.'" 

When Hubbard moved his racing and breeding operation from Kentucky, Attila's Storm stayed at his Crystal Springs Farm in Tularosa, N.M. until Hubbard's death in 2020. 

"He had a huge effect on our program and on New Mexico racing and breeding in general," said Goncharoff. "He was dominant." 

Attila's Storm was sold at an online dispersal of Hubbard Stock last summer and was purchased from that auction for $90,000 by Jimmy Vasquez to stand at Double LL Farms. 

Late June 22, Attila's Storm began showing signs of colic and was sent to the Franklin Veterinary Clinic at Ruidoso Downs. When his symptoms didn't improve, he underwent successful surgery, only to suffer a heart attack June 23 as he was recovering. 

"Sprinters like that have hearts that are so strong," said Schosberg. "I guess they wear out."

According to Mooring, Attila's Storm bred to approximately 65 mares this year, mostly Thoroughbreds and about a dozen Quarter Horses. 

"He did really well at our farm," he said. "Something like this really takes the air out of you." 

According to statistics on the farm's website, Attila's Storm was the leading Thoroughbred sire of black-type winners in New Mexico, with progeny exceeding $14 million lifetime and $1 million in 2020. His most accomplished runner was Waltzing Attila , a five-time stakes winner with earnings of nearly a half-million dollars. 

"I saw him a couple of weeks before he died," said Goncharoff. "He looked great. He looked five years younger than he was and like he'd be going for another five years."