Bridgetown, a dual graded-stakes winner on the turf, was euthanized in April at Barry Ostrager's Questroyal North near Stillwater, N.Y.
The 7-year-old son of Speightstown suffered from hemorrhaging complications. He was standing his first season at stud for a fee of $4,500 as property of a syndicate.
"We were exceedingly disappointed to lose such a talented racehorse and promising stallion," Ostrager said. "He was getting a significant book of mares, so there will be Bridgetown foals."
Racing as a Florida homebred for Eugene Melnyk, Bridgetown was a stakes winner at 2, 3, 4, and 5. He won seven stakes, two of which were graded, and placed in eight additional stakes, three of them graded.
Bridgetown compiled a record of 9-6-3 in 23 races, with 20 of those starts coming in stakes. He earned $993,700.
After breaking his maiden by 5 1/4 lengths at Saratoga Race Course as a 2-year-old, Bridgetown won the one-mile Summer Stakes (Can-IIIT) at Woodbine by 1 1/2 lengths. He then finished a strong second after setting the pace in the one-mile Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf (gr. IIT) at Santa Anita Park.
The well-traveled Bridgetown also won the Woodford Stakes (gr. IIIT) at Keeneland, the Troy Stakes at Saratoga twice, the Latham Stakes at Saratoga, the Gilded Time Stakes at Monmouth Park, and the Turf Dash Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs.
Bridgetown's dam, stakes-placed Ellesmere, by Tabasco Cat, has produced four other winners, including multiple stakes winners Carnacks Choice ($286,957) and Clement Rock ($297,426 to date). His second dam, Empress Aly (by Alydar) is a full sister to Kentucky Derby (gr. I) winner and millionaire Strike the Gold.
