Champion Runner and Sire Kris Dead at 28

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Kris, a champion racehorse and sire in England, died Thursday at Lord Howard de Walden's Plantation Stud. He was 28.

A report on the Plantation Web site said the stallion, who was pensioned in February 2002, was found dead in his paddock of heart failure.

By Sharpen Up -- Doubly Sure, by Reliance, Kris was the sire of 80 stakes winners from 810 named foals of racing age. Among them are classic winner Oh So Sharp, who was a member of his first crop. With just two crops racing in 1985, he was the leading sire in England/Ireland.

In addition to Oh So Sharp, his other top runners included Fitnah, Common Grounds, Flash of Steel, Shamshir, Sure Blade, Unite, and Balisada.

Kris, bred and raced by Howard de Walden, won 14 of 16 starts and ran second in the other two. He was a champion miler in England. Kris was unbeaten at two when he won the Horris Hill Stakes (Eng-III). His victories at three included the Sussex Stakes (Eng-I), St James's Palace Stakes (Eng-II), Waterford Crystal Mile (Eng-II), and Queen Elizabeth II Stakes (Eng-II). He was retired after his 4-year-old season, his career ending with a second to Known Fact in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes. He was trained by Henry Cecil.

Kris was syndicated for 4 million pounds and began his stud duties at de Walden's Thornton Stud. That nursery was sold in 1994 and he was moved to Plantation Stud.

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