Kentucky Derby Champion Monarchos passes away at 18
"It is with very heavy hearts that we announce the passing of Monarchos. He was a very special horse and deeply loved by many. A big thank you to all those involved in his care at Hagyard Equine Medical Institute for their hard work and perseverance, and to all those sending us well wishes."
The sad announcement came in yesterday on the Nuckols Farm Facebook page of the passing of the 2001 Kentucky Derby winner, Monarchos. The 18-year-old stallion passed away after undergoing emergency surgery to repair a ruptured intestine. Nuckols Farm, in Midway, Kentucky, is where the son of Maria's Mon stood the past nine years, since being moved there from Claiborne Farm in 2007.
An excellent racehorse and a successful sire, Monarchos will always best be remembered for what he accomplished one spring afternoon at Churchill Downs. Sent off as the 10-1 sixth choice in a field of 17, the gray colt turned in a ferocious rally that carried him easily past the field to win America's most prestigious race by 4 3/4-lengths.
Assisted by a very fast pace, the going away victory by Monarchos, under rider, Jorge Chavez, remains the second fastest winning time in the grand history of the Kentucky Derby. Only the immortal Secretariat ran a faster ten furlongs among winners on the first Saturday in May.
Two weeks later in the Preakness, Monarchos failed to repeat his Derby performance, and checked in sixth. In the final leg of the Triple Crown, he finished third at Belmont Park. In both races he was well beaten by the Kentucky Derby favorite, Point Given, who went on to win the 2001 Horse of the Year Award.
While the Derby was far and away his career highlight, Monarchos did also score in the Grade 1 Florida Derby in similar style, coming from well back to roll home by more than four lengths, going away. Unfortunately, the Kentucky Derby would be the last career victory for the John Ward, Jr. trained colt.
After finishing third in his comeback race, after a long layoff, the four-year-old suffered a tendon injury near his left front ankle while getting ready for a start in the Grade 1 Donn Handicap at Gulfstream Park. He was retired to stud with a career record of 10-4-1-3, and earnings of better than $1.7 million for owner, John Oxley.
Oxley had purchased the colt, out of the Dixieland Band mare, Regal Band, as a two-year-old in training for $170,000 in February of 2000.
After retirement, Monarchos spent the early part of his stallion career at Claiborne Farm, before moving to Nuckols Farm. His biggest success as a sire likely was the wonderful sprint mare, and Breeders' Cup winner, Informed Decision, who won an Eclipse Award back in 2009. All told, sons and daughters of Monarchos accounted for nearly $20 million in earnings.
Sadly, today we mourn the death of a Kentucky Derby hero. “He made it through the surgery and we were very hopeful for his recovery, however his age was not on his side, and he was just not strong enough to survive,” explained Charles Nuckols III.
His life was not exactly short, but at only 18, we could have hoped for many more years for the second fastest Kentucky Derby winner of all-time.