Sewickley, a dual grade I winner and sire, died July 10 in Maryland at the age of 28. According to his owner, the cause of death was complications due to colic.
Bred in New Jersey by Robert S. Evans, Sewickley was by 1979 champion U.S. sprinter Star de Naskra. Sewickley's dam, Surgery, a daughter of the legendary Dr. Fager, also produced grade I winner Shared Interest, who in turn became dam of successful sire Forestry and Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (gr. I) winner Cash Run.
Sewickley scored in four graded sprints at Belmont Park, including the Tom Fool Stakes (gr. II) and Fall Highweight Handicap (gr. II) in 1989 and consecutive runnings of the Vosburgh Stakes (gr. I) in 1989 and 1990. He also won the Commonwealth Breeders' Cup Handicap at Keeneland. In 16 graded stakes attempts, Sewickley finished in the money 12 times.
A homebred runner for Evans, the Flint S. Schulhofer trainee was twice named New Jersey's champion sprinter and older horse, and was named New Jersey Horse of the Year in 1990. Upon his retirement at the end of his 5-year-old campaign, Sewickley's record stood at 11-9-4 from 32 starts with earnings totaling $1,017,517.
Sewickley entered stud for the 1991 season at Courtland Farm in Maryland. He was moved to O'Sullivan Farms in West Virginia in 2000 after being named among the top sires in that state in 1999.
Pensioned since 2001, he sired 57 winners from 71 starters, including stakes winners Normandy Beach, Show and Tell, and Perfect Challenge, as well as Javeriano, a group II winner in Panama.