The Legacy Racing Forum

GEORGETOWN, KY – JUNE 27, 2022 – Victor Cooley, Canada’s 1996 Champion Three-Year-Old Colt and Queen’s Plate winner, was euthanized today at Old Friends, the Thoroughbred Retirement farm based in Georgetown, KY, where he has been pensioned since 2014. The gelding was 29.

According to attending veterinarian Dr. Ashton Broman, Victor Cooley suffered an acute onset of neurological symptoms coupled with other pre-existing conditions.

Bred in Ontario by the Begg family’s Windways Farm, the son of Cool Victor out of Willow Flight, racked up numerous accolades in his six seasons on the track.

At three, he captured the prestigious GR1 Queen’s Plate at Woodbine, helping him earn the title of Canada’s Champion Three-Year-Old Colt. Racing under the silks of Windways Farm and conditioned by Mark Frostad and later Malcolm Pierce, Victor took the GR1 Vosburg at Belmont Park the following year as well as the GR2 Commonwealth Breeders’ Cup Stakes at Keeneland, where he equaled the track record.

The gelding earned a final win at Fairgrounds in 2000 and then retired from racing with 13 wins from 39 starts and career earnings of $1.320, 475.

He remained at Windways until the farm closed in 2014 and was then sent to Old Friends along with Windways's other accomplished gelding, El Brujo.

“We bred him, foaled him, and broke him at our farm,” said Windways Jeff Begg, “Victor wasn’t an easy horse to deal with –he was really a handful, but he was our first big horse and really took us to a different level and took us everywhere,” Begg continued. “For such a quirky horse, nothing really phased him. He didn’t care, he took his form to any track he went to.”

“Victor was as tough a retiree as he was a racehorse,” said Old Friends’s President Michael Blowen. “In his racing days he didn’t leave anything on the track, and he didn’t leave anything on the table here, either. I wish all of the owners were like Jeff and his wife Annabel,” Blowen added. “They came two or three times a year to visit him, always with a bag of peppermints. They continued to care for him long passed his racing days.”

Msg 3922 of 3939

In reply toRe: msg 3921

From: gerchgo

Jun-27

Not a good day for Old Friends. Mustanfar euthanized, RIP dear boy.

GEORGETOWN, KY – JUNE 27, 2022 — Two-time GR3 winner Mustanfar was humanely euthanized today at Rood & Riddle Equine Hospital. He was 21.

A full necropsy is currently pending.

Bred and owned by Shadwell Farm, Mustanfar, along with five other retired stallions, was recently relocated to Old Friends Thoroughbred Retirement in Georgetown, KY. as part of an operations downsizing that followed the death of Shadwell owner, His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum in 2021.

Old Friends President Michael Blowen made the announcement of Mustanfar’s passing today.

The son of Unbridled out of the Lyphard mare Manwah, Mustanfar certainly lived up to his prestigious pedigree on the track. He raced from age two to six, making 27 career starts, and won or placed in nine graded stakes contests on both dirt and turf.

Owned by Sheikh Hamdan’s Shadwell and conditioned by trainer Kieran McLaughlin, Mustanfar jump started his career with a win at Aqueduct at two in just his second start.

The following year, he captured the GR3 Lexington Stakes at Belmont Park, and went on to earn the GR3 Sycamore Breeder's Cup Turf at Keeneland, both on the turf.

Proving his versatility, he finished second in the GR3 Tampa Bay Derby on the dirt and ran third in the GR3 Ben Ali Stakes on synthetic.

Mustanfar retired to stud in 2007 with five wins from 27 starts and career earnings of $625,010. He stood at both The Indiana Stallion Station and Shadwell’s Nashwan Stud.

Mustanfar is the sire of winners on both dirt and turf.

"He was the youngest of the Shadwell stallions and he became an instant favorite," said Blowen. "We're very sorry that more of his fans weren't able to appreciate him for much, much longer."

Msg 3923 of 3939 to gerchgogerchgo

In reply toRe: msg 3922

Staff

From: Amy (1pony)

Jul-15

Condolences to his connections and all who loved him.

BloodHorse.com

Multiple Leading Sire Kitten's Joy Dies at 21

Kitten's Joy, a homebred for Ken and Sarah Ramsey, became leading North American sire in 2013 and 2018 and was leading turf sire for six consecutive years. The son of El Prado died of an apparent heart attack in his paddock at Hill 'n' Dale.

From: gerchgo

Jul-15

My condolences to the Ramsey family and his current connections. A shame we’re losing so many to heart issues recently. He has done good with his offspring, Mr Ramsey did a great job with his breeding when he was with him.

Msg 3925 of 3939 to gerchgogerchgo

In reply toRe: msg 3924

From: cigarello

Jul-15

Very sad--RIP

Msg 3926 of 3939 to Amy (1pony)1pony

In reply toRe: msg 3923

From: Flurry84

Jul-15

The Ramseys did everything imaginable to make Kittens Joy the great sire he was. Was happy when Hill 'n Dale took over and enabled him to have some more fine mares. His influence on turf will be felt for decades to come. Sympathies to the Ramsey family and all others who loved him.

Msg 3927 of 3939 to Flurry84Flurry84

In reply toRe: msg 3926

From: cigarello

Jul-15

Kitten's Joy was a rea!ly good sire and he was still young enough to

continue being successful-- it is a sad day for the Ramseys

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