Kingston Rule, a Kentucky-bred son of Secretariat who won the 1990 Foster’s Melbourne Cup (Aus-I), died Dec. 3 at Ealing Park near Euroa, Australia, according to Bloodstock.com.au. The 25-year-old Bold Ruler grandson stood at Ealing Park before being pensioned this year.
Kingston Rule was the result of a mating of two Horses of the Year. Secretariat, a two-time North American Horse of the Year, was bred to David Hains’ Australian Horse of the Year Rose of Kingston (by Claude) at the Hancock family’s Claiborne Farm near Paris, Ky.
It was Hains’ idea to send Rose of Kingston to Kentucky to be bred because of the wealth of top stallions in the Central Kentucky area. Haines also bought a farm in Central Kentucky.
Kingston Rule was sent to France to begin his racing career but didn’t start. He was relocated to Australia at 2.
Trained by Bart Cummings, Kingston Rule captured the two-mile Melbourne Cup in course-record time of 3:16.3. During his career, he also won a group II event and placed in five group stakes. He exited racing with 10 top-three finishes from 13 starts and earnings of $1,171,164.
Kingston Rule has sired 10 stakes winners including Australian group I winners Kensington Palace and Sheer Kingston.
Kingston Rule was one of seven named foals that Rose of Kingston produced from North American stallions. The best of the others was Seattle Slew’s daughter Rose of Portland, an Australian group III winner.