Swain, an English and Irish champion who placed in two Breeders’ Cup events, has been pensioned from stallion duty, according to the Racing Post. The 19-year-old son of Nashwan last stood at Ascot Stud near Port Colborne, Ontario, Canada, and before that at Sheikh Hamdan’s Shadwell Farm near Lexington. He will spend his remaining days at Shadwell.
Bred by Sheikh Mohammed, Swain initially raced for the sheikh and later in the Godolphin silks.
Swain’s first Breeders’ Cup try came in the 1996 Turf (gr. IT). He finished third behind Pilsudski and Singspiel. In the 1998 Classic (gr. I), he was third again, behind Awesome Again and Silver Charm.
Swain became just the second horse (the filly Dahlia was the first) to win two runnings of the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Diamond Stakes (Eng-I), doing so in 1997-98. He was an English champion both years.
His Irish championship came in 1998, the year he also won the Esat Digifone Irish Champion Stakes (Ire-I).
Swain retired from racing with 20 top-three finishes from 22 starts and earnings of $3,797,566.
As a stallion, Swain has sired 13 stakes winners including Flower Bowl Invitational Stake (gr. IT) winner Dimitrova and San Luis Rey Handicap (gr. IIT) winner Stanley Park.
Swain was produced from grade I winner Love Smitten (by Key to the Mint).