Desert Sun, the broodmare sire of unbeaten Australian Horse of the Year Black Caviar and the sire of Australian and New Zealand Horse of the Year Sunline, has died at Eliza Park in Victoria, Australia, according to the Racing Post. The pensioned son of Green Desert was 24.
Bred in Great Britain by Charlton Down Stud, Desert Sun raced first in England, placing in three group stakes, and later in North America while trained by Bobby Frankel for Juddmonte Farms Lessee. Desert Sun ran second in the 1993 Golden Gate Fields Budweiser Breeders’ Cup Handicap and third in the Bel Air Handicap (gr. II). He was retired with a record of 3-7-6 from 23 starts and earnings of $186,865.
Sunline, a New Zealand-bred, is a four-time Horse of the Year in New Zealand and a three-timer in Australia. The fabulous mare, one of her sire’s 34 stakes winners, won 13 group I stakes.
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Black Caviar ran her unbeaten record to 22 when she captured the Diamond Jubilee Stakes (Eng-I) at Royal Ascot June 23. The Australian-bred daughter by Bel Esprit has earnings of $6,295,594.
Desert Sun, who is out of the group stakes-placed Hotfoot mare Solar, also stood in England and Ireland.