Quiet American Euthanized at 30

Quiet American, whose champion son Real Quiet won the 1998 Kentucky Derby and the Preakness Stakes (both gr. I), has been euthanized.

Pensioned from stud duties in 2013 at Darley's Jonabell Farm near Lexington, the son of Fappiano was out of the winning Dr. Fager mare Demure and raced in the colors of Sheikh Mohammed.

"To achieve what he did as a racehorse and as a stallion, and then be able to live a long and happy life, is really what one hopes for any horse," said Godolphin America's chief operating officer Dan Pride. "His legacy will certainly live on through his sons and daughters. He was such a favorite of ours as well as fans in general. We're all going to miss him," 

Bred in Florida by Tartan Farms, Quiet American celebrated his 30th birthday earlier this year April 29. He was purchased for $300,000 at the 1987 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky Fall Yearling Sale by Darley Stud Management.

Lightly raced at 2 and 3, Quiet American rose to prominence at 4 in 1990, winning the NYRA Mile Handicap (gr. I) and the San Diego Handicap (gr. III), defeating the great Bayakoa, and finishing second in the Woodward Handicap (gr. I) and the Charles H. Strub Stakes (gr. I). He entered stud at Sheikh Maktoum's Gainsborough Farm near Versailles, Ky., where he stood until 2006. He was moved at the beginning of 2007 when Darley consolidated its stallion operation to Jonabell.

As a stallion, Quiet American achieved early success, siring 14% stakes winners from foals in his first three crops. His first crop included Hidden Lake, the 1997 champion older female, and his third crop yielded Real Quiet, who was named the 1998 champion 3-year-old colt after he nearly won the Triple Crown, beaten by just a nose in the Belmont Stakes (gr. I).

His other major performers include grade I winners Switch, Seattle Smooth, and Cara Rafaela, plus English and Irish highweight Warrior Queen. Switch, a multiple grade I winner, sold for $4.3 million at the 2012 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky November select mixed sale.

Quiet American, whose stud fee reached as high as $35,000, sired 54 black-type stakes winners and earners of more than $64 million.

As a broodmare sire, Quiet American is associated with 83 black-type winners, of which 33 are graded/group winners. He's been represented by six black-type stakes winners so far this year. Among his best are champion and leading sire Bernardini  , also standing at Darley, and Horse of the Year Saint Liam. As a broodmare sire, his runners have earned more than $95 million.