Canadian Horse of the Year and prominent sire Afleet died Jan. 22 at the age of 30 at Breeders Stallion Station in Japan.
The news was confirmed via Twitter by Japan's Paca Paca Farm.
Afleet, a son of Mr. Prospector out of 1988 Canadian Broodmare of the Year Polite Lady (by Venetian Jester), won three graded races while campaigned as a homebred by Richard Kennedy in partnership with Taylor Made Farm. He took the Jerome Handicap (gr. I) and Pennsylvania Derby (gr. II) at 3, and then added a victory in the Toboggan (gr. III) at 4.
Also during his sophomore season, Afleet won Woodbine's Plate Trial Stakes, Queenston Stakes, and Friar Rock Stakes, and placed in the Queen's Plate en route to being named Canada's Horse of the Year and champion 3-year-old colt.
A career earner of $995,235, Afleet's resume additionally includes runner-up efforts in the Metropolitan Handicap (gr. I), Carter Handicap (gr. I), Meadowlands Cup Handicap (gr. I), and a third in the Breeders' Cup Sprint (gr. I). In the last mentioned race, the final start of his career, Afleet was beaten just 1 3/4 lengths by Gulch after making a brilliant stretch rally from last.
The Ontario-bred compiled an overall record of 7-4-2 from 15 starts.
Sold to Japan in 1990, Afleet stood at Breeders Stallion Station until he was retired from stud duty in 2011. He sired 67 stakes winners from 21 crops, including 2001 Canadian champion older horse A Fleets Dancer; Italian highweight and grade II winner Blu Tusmani; Japanese $5 million-plus earner Preeminence; North American grade I winners Flat Fleet Feet and Twist Afleet; and grade II victors Top Secret and Zuno Star.
Afleet's most influential offspring, however, has proved to be grade II winner Northern Afleet , sire of 2005 Preakness (gr. I) and Belmont (gr. I) Stakes winner and sire Afleet Alex ; 2011 Sentient Jet Breeders' Cup Sprint (gr. I) winner Amazombie; 2009 Dubai Golden Shaheen (UAE-I) victor Big City Man; and numerous other grade/group I winners.
Northern Afleet will stand the 2014 season for $8,000 at the Taylor family's Taylor Made Stallions near Nicholasville, Ky.