California stallion Rhythm was euthanized Sept. 4 at Dave Ferguson's Diamond F Ranch near Grass Valley, Calif., after fracturing a leg in a paddock accident. The 20-year-old son of Mr. Prospector stood for a private fee in 2007.
Racing as a homebred for Ogden Mills "Dinny" Phipps, Rhythm was one of the top members of his crop and came from one of racing's best female families.
Trained by Shug McGaughey, Rhythm was voted 1989 champion 2-year-old male after winning the Breeders' Cup Juvenile (gr. I). At 3, he took the Travers Stakes (gr. I) at Saratoga and the Colin Stakes (gr. III) at Belmont Park. His stakes-placings in both those years included efforts in the Champagne Stakes (gr. I) and the Woodward (gr. I) and Haskell Invitational (gr. I) handicaps.
A full brother to graded stakes winner/producer Get Lucky, Rhythm traced back in female family to the great La Troienne. His dam, Dance Number (by Northern Dancer), was a grade I winner, and his second dam, Numbered Account, was 1971 champion 2-year-old filly for Phipps' father, Ogden Phipps.
Rhythm, who was stakes-placed at 4 in 1991, was retired that year with six wins from 20 races and earnings of $1,592,532. He was sold for $5.5 million to stand at Arrow Stud in Japan.
Following several years overseas, Rhythm was returned to the U.S. to stand in 1997 at John Magnier and partners' Ashford Stud near Versailles, Ky. He ended up at Diamond F for the 2000 breeding season.
Rhythm, who shuttled to Australia and New Zealand numerous years, sired 24 stakes winners. He achieved his greatest success Down Under. One of his daughters, Ethereal, won four group I events, including the 2001 Tooheys New Melbourne Cup, and was a champion stayer. Another daughter, Upsetthym, was a champion stayer and group I winner in New Zealand. Rhythm's best North American-bred runner was graded stakes winner Major Rhythm.
Rhythm's progeny earnings total $35 million.
