NEWS
Leading Indiana sire Chief Seattle dead
Posted: Tuesday, November 29, 2011 1:32 PM
Indiana sire Chief Seattle was found dead in his paddock at Lake Shore Farm near Scottsburg, Indiana, in late October.
The 14-year-old son of Seattle Slew currently is the second leading sire by earnings among Indiana’s stallions. He was the state’s leading sire in 2010 with total earnings of $1,946,837
Chief Seattle raced for one season, winning one of four starts during his two-year-old campaign. However, he also registered second place finishes in the 1999 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) and Champagne Stakes (G1) and earned $327,000 for owners William J. Betz and Philip D. Needham and trainer John Kimmel.
He was purchased by Godolphin and sent to the United Arab Emirates in 2000 with plans for a start in that year’s Kentucky Derby (G1) but was removed from contention due to a fever and never raced again.
Chief Seattle has sired 224 winners from eight crops of racing age, including ten stakes winners. He is led in earnings, both lifetime and for the current year, by Grade 2 winner Bold Chieftain. He has also sired champions in three different countries—Canadian three-year-old champion Shillelagh Slew, Mexican champion imported older horse Free Race, and Panamanian champion imported older male Sophia Slew.
Chief Seattle began his stallion career at Spendthrift Farm in Lexington and also stood at Vinery New York and WinRich Thoroughbreds in Indiana. He arrived at Lake Shore Farm for the 2011 breeding season, where he stood for a $2,500 fee.
According to The Jockey Club’s report of mares bred, Chief Seattle covered 43 mares in 2011.
