California Stallion Strike Gold Dead

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California stallion Strike Gold, sire of 25 stakes winners, was euthanized Oct. 7 at Gary and Marlene Howard's Hideaway Farms near San Jacinto, Calif., because of complications from the infirmities of old age. The 25-year-old son of Mr. Prospector was owned by John Zamora, who stood him for a time at his JZ Stock Farm near Temecula, Calif.

Strike Gold, who held court in Florida and Kentucky prior to California, sired graded stakes winners Arches of Gold, Popol's Gold, and Traces of Gold. Arches of Gold scored her major win in the La Brea Stakes (gr. III) at Santa Anita and set a track record at Hollywood Park and at Bay Meadows. Traces of Gold won the California Jockey Club Handicap (gr. IIIT) at Bay Meadows and captured three consecutive runnings of the Brown Bess Handicap there, once when it was a grade III event.

Bred in Florida by John Hartigan, Strike Gold also was a graded stakes winner. Trained by Billy Turner for Welcome Farm, Strike Gold won his first four races, including the Bay Shore Stakes (gr. III) at Aqueduct. He raced twice more that year and was retired with earnings of $71,760.

Strike Gold, who was produced from the Roi Dagobert mare Newchance Lady, also sired 27 stakes-placed runners. His progeny earnings are $16.3 million.

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