English Stallion Bien Bien Dies

Bien Bien, a $2.3 million earner and sire of millionaire Bienamado, died of a heart attack immediately after covering a mare the morning of March 12 at Kirtlington Stud in England. Owned by John Toffan and Trudy McCaffery, the son of Eclipse Award winner Manila was moved to the stud for the 2000 breeding season from Mill Ridge Farm near Lexington.

"It all happened so suddenly. He was only 13 and fit and trim," a farm representative said. "He covered six of the 30 mares booked to him."

Bien Bien, who raced for Toffan and McCaffery, was a grade I grass winner all three years he raced, taking the Hollywood Turf Cup Stakes, the Hollywood Turf Handicap in record time, and the San Juan Capistrano Invitational Handicap and San Luis Rey Stakes. He won several other stakes and his stakes-placings included a runner-up effort in the Breeders' Cup Turf (gr. IT).

Bien Bien, who was produced from the Graustark mare Stark Winter, covered 40 mares in 2000 and 24 the following year. Bienamado, a member of his sire's first crop of foals, set a course record in the 2001 San Juan Capistrano. Bienamado stands at stud at Cardiff Stud Farm in California.