Champion Bowl Game Dead

Bowl Game, the champion turf male of 1979 who was believed to be the oldest living Eclipse Award winner, was euthanized due to the infirmities of old age Nov. 10 at the age of 32. Under the care of the Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation since 1998, he had been living at the Paeonian Springs, Va., farm of TRF President Johnathan Miller.

Miller said Bowl Game had experienced trouble eating over the past week, but had been receiving intravenous nutrition and appeared bright and alert when he was turned out yesterday morning.

"It was a beautiful, sunny day and he was out in the pasture and got two thirds of the way up the hill, and just lay down," said Miller. "He was in some distress and it was clear to us that the time had come."

At five, Bowl Game won the Washington D. C. International, Turf Classic, Man o'War , all grade I and two other stakes races en route to his championship honors. He retired in 1980 due to a tendon problem.

A bay gelding, he won 11 of 23 career starts, earning $907,083. He was taken in by the TRF upon the death of owner Mrs. John Hay Whitney, the matriarch of the famed Greentree Stable.

"It was just a pure delight to go out every morning and be with him," said Miller.

Bowl Game will be buried on Miller's farm.