(Edited press release)
Waquoit, a stalwart within the Maryland stallion ranks, was euthanized June 14 at Northview Stallion Station in Chesapeake City, Md., due to complications from the infirmities of old age. The son of Relaunch was 24.
The first stallion syndicated to stand at Northview when the farm opened its doors for the 1989 breeding season, Waquoit sired 30 stakes winners and 39 stakes-placed runners from 16 crops to date. His progeny have earned in excess of $25 million and of his 573 foals of racing age, 78% have started (445) and 78% of his starters are winners (348). Waquoit's average earnings per starter is nearly $57,000.
Maryland's leading juvenile sire in 1993 when his second crop of runners came to the races, Waquoit had progeny earnings of $1 million or more for 12 consecutive years. His leading earner is his grade I-winning daughter Halo America, who accounted for the Apple Blossom Handicap among her nine stakes wins and earned $1,460,992 while racing through the age of 7.
Waquoit's other top runners included 12-time stakes winner and $802,704-earner Docent, eight-time stakes winner and $671,616-earner Wicapi and additional graded stakes winners Crosspatch and Buck Trout. As a broodmare sire, Waquoit is represented by more than a dozen stakes winners, including Sweetnorthernsaint, Bronze Abe, Marino Marini , and Quick Temper.
A multiple grade I winner of $2,225,360, Waquoit entered stud after winning 13 stakes and placing in seven others during his 30-start career. The nearly 17-hand gray won the 1988 Jockey Club Gold Cup (gr. I) by 15 lengths, twice captured the Brooklyn Handicap (gr. I) and finished third to Alysheba and Seeking the Gold in the Breeders' Cup Classic (gr. I) in his final career start.
Out of the Grey Dawn II mare Grey Parlo, Waquoit was a half-brother to stakes winner Dawn Exodus. His third dam was three-time champion Parlo.