Danehill First to Sire 300 Stakes Winners

Danehill, who got beat by Sadler's Wells in the race to became the first stallion to sire 200 stakes winners, reached the 300 mark well ahead of his rival. The coronation came Aug. 20 at Randwick in Australia when Danehill's New Zealand-bred daughter Nevis won the Barcardi Breezer Toy Show Quality Stakes.

Reaching the 300 mark is just one of the many mind-boggling accomplishments registered by deceased Danehill. The greatest shuttling stallion in history, Danehill not only was a prominent sire in Europe while standing at his home base at Coolmore Stud in Ireland, but Australia's leader nine consecutive years by progeny earnings, most recently in the 2004-05 season.

Danehill, who died at age 17 in May of 2003, was represented by 51 stakes winners worldwide in 2004. Remarkably, he is just one behind that figure this year. He is staging a rally on this year's English/Irish sires lists and might end the 13-year reign of Sadler's Wells. On the Racing Post sire list, Danehill (Danzig--Razyana, by His Majesty) ranks first by progeny earnings with £2.3 million (approximately $4.1 million). He was second last year.