Prominent sire Laoban unexpectedly dies at age 8

Laoban, a prominent second-crop sire, has died unexpectedly, WinStar Farm said in a news release Monday.

The 8-year-old son of Uncle Mo had relocated to WinStar Farm in Versailles, Ky., last year from Sequel Stallions in New York and was standing his initial season at WinStar.

“It is with heavy hearts that we have to announce that we lost Laoban this morning,” said Elliott Walden, WinStar’s president, CEO and racing manager. “He had quickly become one of our favorite stallions, and it’s sad that we will not have the opportunity to see how influential he could have been as a sire. His passing will leave a tremendous void for all of us, and he will be greatly missed.”

As a sire, Laoban is represented by Grade 1 winner Simply Ravishing, a 6 1/4-length winner of the Alcibiades Stakes (G1) at Keeneland, and Grade 2 winner Keepmeinmind, winner of the Kentucky Jockey Club (G2), multiple Grade 1-placed and most recently fourth in the Preakness, among others.

Laoban had a racing record of 9: 1-2-1, with his lone win coming in the 2016 Jim Dandy (G2), and earnings of $526,250.