Florida sire West Acre was euthanized Aug. 16 due to complications of laminitis at Gilbert and Marilyn Campbell's Stonehedge Farm South near Williston, Fla. The unraced son of Forty Niner was 17.
West Acre, who had stood at Stonehedge since 1998, has sired 179 winners, including 12 stakes victors, from 12 crops of racing age for progeny earnings of more than $13 million.
Among West Acre's best offspring is his leading earner Ivanavinalot, winner of the 2003 Bonnie Miss Stakes (gr. II) and three other stakes. She earned $647,300.
West Acre has also sired graded stakes winners Watch Me Go (2011 gr. II Tampa Bay Derby) and Speak Easy Gal (gr. IIIT 2010 Orchid Stakes). The former most recently captured the June 2 Free Spirit Handicap at Ruidoso Downs.
In 2010, West Acre was the only Florida sire with three 2-year-olds on the Experimental Free
Handicap and was the second-leading Florida sire of juvenile stakes horses the same year, with six. This year, he has 20 winners and six stakes performers from 45 starters.
Bred in Kentucky by the Hancock family's Claiborne Farm, West Acre is out of the grade III-winning Honest Pleasure mare Narrate and is a half brother to grade I victor Preach (by Mr. Prospector). Preach is the dam of top sire Pulpit.
