Najran, who experienced one of his best seasons at stud last year, was euthanized Feb. 9 after suffering a paddock accident. The 12-year-old stallion, who stood in 2010 at Rick Trontz’ Hopewell Farm near Midway, Ky., was scheduled to be sent to Jay Adcock’s Red River Farms near Coushatta, La., for stallion duty.
Najran’s daughter, Wasted Tears, was a leading turf runner last year. She won four graded stakes on grass, including the John C. Mabee Stakes (gr. IIT) and the Jenny Wiley Stakes (gr. IIT). Najran’s other stakes performers in 2010 included grade III winner Buckleupbuttercup, plus Snow Top Mountain, who ran second in three graded stakes, including the Garden City Stakes (gr. IT).
To date, Najran is represented by eight stakes winners and five stakes-placed runners. His runners have earned more than $5.7 million.
Najran, by Runaway Groom, was bred by Irv and France Weiner and was produced from the Capote mare Line Command.
Racing for Mahmoud Fustok’s Buckram Oak Farm, Najran equaled the American track record for a mile with a time of 1:32.24 in the 2003 Westchester Handicap (gr. III) at Belmont Park. The time also was a track record.
Najran also won the Phoenix Breeders’ Cup Stakes (gr. III) and the Perryville Stakes and ran second to subsequent champion sprinter Aldebaran in the 2003 Forego Handicap (gr. I) at Saratoga. Najran, who was trained first by Kathleen O’Connell and later by Nick Zito, was retired with seven wins from 15 starts and earnings of $483,448.