Breakway Farm's Skylord Dies From Cardiac Event at 16

One of Breakway Farm's foundation stallions Skylord died suddenly Aug. 9 due to a "catastrophic acute cardiac event," the Indiana farm reported Aug. 13.

"He took us on an unforgettable adventure in the breeding world and we met several of our cherished clients and friends through owning him," the farm wrote on Facebook. "We were so proud of Skylord and all he had accomplished. The farm isn't the same without him and his big personality. Skylord will be greatly missed by all who knew and loved him. We are grateful for our time with him and will forever treasure the memories."

The 16-year-old son of Sky Mesa   was bred in Kentucky by Visionary Racing out of the Marquetry mare Skyscape. Skylord was a half brother to 2008 La Jolla Handicap (G2T) winner Sky Cape and to stakes-placed winners K O Love and Reality Show when he sold for $515,000 during the 2010 Fasig-Tipton Gulfstream Sale to Maverick Racing, WinStar Farm's racing entity. He won his racing debut at 2 for WinStar and trainer Todd Pletcher and then was offered for sale again during the Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale, where Windridge Farm bought him for $75,000. The colt picked up another win and a show finish before he was retired in 2011.

Breakway Farm, owned by Janice and Scott Jordan, acquired Skylord and launched his stud career in 2012. His appeal to Indiana breeders would grow as his dam expanded her résumé as a broodmare, adding grade 2-placed stakes winner Sunny Skies  (Animal Kingdom ) and 2021 Canadian champion older dirt female Skygaze  (American Pharoah  ) to Skylord's list of half siblings.

Skylord would become the leading Indiana freshman sire of 2015 largely on the exploits of his gelded son Double Tuff , who became a winner in his second career start and was runner-up in the Indiana Futurity. Double Tuff went on to win three black-type stakes, including consecutive editions of the William Henry Harrison Stakes in 2019-20 at Horseshoe Indianapolis. 

Skylord rose into the top 10 of Indiana's general leading sires in 2020 and remained there. To date he has sired 42 winners that found success on dirt and turf, with his best runners also including stakes winners Its Just Fate  and Dillsboro Devil  along with stakes-placed winners Solar Power, Don't Ask Kinmon, and Running Strait.

Standing most recently for a published fee of $2,500, Skylord's progeny earned $52,153 on average per runner. Collectively the sire's progeny have earned more than $3.65 million.