Prominent English stallion Rainbow Quest, a member of the Century Club by number of stakes winners, was euthanized July 7 because of unresolvable complications after emergency surgery for colic. The 26-year-old son of Blushing Groom stood at Khalid Abdullah's Banstead Manor Stud near Newmarket.
Three days earlier, another successful English stallion, Robellino, was euthanized at Jeff C. Smith's Littleton Stud near Winchester because of complications from the infirmities of old age. A 29-year-old son of Roberto, he was pensioned after the 2005 breeding season. He is represented by 42 stakes winners.
Racing for Juddmonte, Rainbow Quest was a champion in England and France at 4 in 1985. That year, he captured the Coronation Cup (Eng-I) and was declared the winner of the Trusthouse Forte Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe (Fr-I) following the disqualification of Sagace. His other stakes wins during his career came in the Great Voltigeur (Eng-I) and the Clive Graham Stakes. His stakes-placings included efforts in both the Joe McGrath Irish Sweeps Derby (Ire-I) and Prix du Jockey-Club (Fr-I) the previous year. Bred in Kentucky by Alan Clore, Rainbow Quest retired with a dozen wins or placings from 14 races and earnings of $592,716.
Although standing his entire career in England under the Juddmonte umbrella, Rainbow Quest made his mark in North America. A daughter, Fiji, earned an Eclipse Award as best grass female, and Raintrap, Rainbow Dancer, Quest for Fame, and Urgent Request were grade I winners.
Quest for Fame, who won the Ever Ready Epsom Derby (Eng-I), was one of numerous European champions and/or classic winners by Rainbow Quest. The others included Raintrap, Millenary, Saumarez, Sunshack, Nedawi, Sought Out, High and Low, and Spectrum. Saumarez won the 1990 CIGA Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe (Fr-I).
Rainbow Quest, who was produced from the Herbager mare I Will Follow, has sired 103 stakes winners.
Rainbow Quest also excelled as a broodmare sire. He topped the 2003 list when his representatives included Vodafone Epsom Derby winner Kris Kin and ranked atop the following year's list when Sought Out's son, North Light, won the Derby. North Light stands at Frank Stronach's Adena Springs Kentucky near Midway. Rainbow Quest's other stakes winners as maternal grandsire include English and Italian champion Rakti, plus U.S. grade I winners Meteor Storm and Powerscourt. The latter, winner of the Arlington Million Stakes (gr. IT), stands at Ashford Stud near Midway, Ky.
Robellino, a Maryland-bred who raced in Europe, stood at Marshall Jenney's Derry Meeting Farm in Pennsylvania and at E.P. Taylor's Windfields Farm in Maryland before being sent to Littleton in 1989. Robellino was represented by major classic winners in three different countries: Mister Baileys in England, Classic Park in Ireland, and Robertico in Germany. His offspring also include Irish champion Rebelline.
Bred in Maryland by D.P. Aykroyd and Mrs. A.L. Moore, Robellino was one of England's top 2-year-olds. He was honored with the third-highest weight on England's Free Handicap for 2-year-olds of 1980, topped by Storm Bird. Robellino captured that year's Royal Lodge (Eng-II) and Seaton Delaval (Eng-III) Stakes. At 3, he was group placed and was retired after suffering a hairline fracture. He won five of 14 races and earned $136,984.