Leading California Sire Pirate's Bounty Dead

Pirate's Bounty, a California leading sire, was euthanized last week at Marty and Pam Wygod's River Edge Farm near Buellton, Calif., because of the infirmities of old age. He was 31.

River Edge pensioned Pirate's Bounty after the 1999 breeding season because of declining fertility. The Wygods bred and raced Pirate's Bounty, a son of Hoist the Flag out of the stakes-winning Stevward mare Bad Seed.

Pirate's Bounty is represented by 63 stakes winners and the earners of $31.9 million. His eight graded winners include grade I winners Pirate's Revenge and Private Persuasion, plus eight-time stakes winner Feverish.

Pirate's Bounty, who stood his entire career at River Edge, twice led the California sires list and was runner-up numerous times. He also topped the state's 2-year-old list.

Pirate's Bounty won the 1979 Millburn Stakes at Meadowlands and placed in two stakes at Aqueduct for trainer Lefty Nickerson. He won four of 15 career starts and earned $95,984.