Six Crowns, Dam of Champion Chief's Crown, Dies at Age 26

Six Crowns, the stakes winning dam of champion Chief's Crown and multiple grade I winner Classic Crown, was euthanized due to the infirmities of old age on Thursday, February 14 at the age of 26. The daughter of Secretariat will be buried at Robert N. Clay's Three Chimneys Farm next to her dam, Filly Triple Crown winner Chris Evert.

Produced from the mating of two members of racing's Hall of Fame, Six Crowns was bred by Carl Rosen and owned her entire life by Rosen, and then his family. She won the Meadow Queen Stakes and placed in six more stakes races, including the Ladies Handicap (gr. I) at age three. Retired to the breeding shed with earnings of $136,274, as a broodmare Six Crowns exceeded her racetrack accomplishments.

Her second foal was champion 2-year-old Chief's Crown, winner of the inaugural Breeders' Cup Juvenile (gr. I) in 1984, as well as the Norfolk, Hopeful, and Cowdin Stakes, all grade I. His grade I wins as a 3-year-old came in the Marlboro Cup Invitational Handicap, Flamingo, Travers, and Blue Grass. Chief's Crown also ran second that in the Preakness and third in both the Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes. Chief's Crown stood at Three Chimneys near Midway, Ky. until his death in 1997,following a paddock accident.

The fourth foal produced from Six Crowns was Classic Crown, winner of the Frizette Stakes Gazelle Handicap, both grade I. Classic Crown, who earned $535,919, also placed in the Beldame, Ruffian, and Test, all grade I stakes.

Six Crowns is also the second dam of Japanese stakes winner and near-millionaire Silk Phoenix and is the third dam of 2002 Triple Crown nominee French Assault, winner of the El Joven S. and second in the Kentucky Cup Juvenile S (gr. III) as a 2-year-old last year. She produced a 2001 filly by El Prado.