NEWS
Prominent French sire Green Tune euthanized after injury
Posted: Tuesday, January 04, 2011 4:24 PM
Green Tune, sire of 34 stakes winners during a distinguished stallion career in France, was euthanized on January 1 after sustaining a leg injury.
The 20-year-old by Green Dancer fractured his right hind leg at Haras d’Etreham, where he had stood since launching his stud career in 1996.
Racing Post reported that the chestnut horse experienced one of his best seasons to date in 2010, ranking second only to King’s Best among France’s active sires. His 43 winners during the year, including Prix du Moulin de Longchamp (Fr-G1) winner Fuisse and Premio Lydia Tesio Darley (Ity-G1) winner Lune d’Or, bankrolled $2,305,385 in purse money.
Among Green Tune’s other notable offspring is multiple group stakes winner Delfos, who stands in Spain. Overall, Green Tune is the sire of 249 winners from 422 starters in 12 crops that account for purses earnings of $18,414,732 through Monday.
His stallion career was compromised by equine viral arteritis, an infectious disease that causes abortion. He suffered from the effects of the disease for three years and only covered mares carrying the virus, according to Racing Post.
Bred and owned by the Wertheimer family, Green Tune won five of 13 career starts for trainer Criquette Head-Maarek, including the 1994 Dubai Poule d’Essai des Poulains (Fr-G1) (French Two Thousand Guineas) and 1995 Prix d’Ispahan (Fr-G1).
Kentucky-bred Green Tune is out of the winning Mr. Prospector mare Soundings and is a half brother to European champion two-year-old filly Pas de Reponse from the family of elite sire Storm Bird.
