Leading Illinois Stallion Cartwright Dead

Cartwright, who appears poised for another sire title in Illinois, was euthanized Aug. 10 after breaking his right femur in an accident in an Illinois veterinary clinic. Owner Jake Bryant, who stood 15-year-old son of Forty Niner at his Jake E. Bryant Farms near Burnt Prairie, took him to the clinic the day before because of lameness in his left leg.

Bryant bought Cartwright for stallion duty prior to the 1994 breeding season and supported him with many of his mares during the early years. Outside breeders later took notice after Cartwright came up with three stakes winners from 11 foals from his first crop, and his book got bigger and better.

Cartwright sired 13 stakes winners, 17 stakes-placed runners, and the earners of $7.6 million. He topped the $1 million mark in progeny earnings from 2001-04 and is close to the $1 million mark this year. His best runner, the versatile Wiggins, a two-time Illinois champion, has won or placed in 20 of 24 starts and earned $549,762. Wiggins' six stakes wins came at five different tracks. Cartwright's other stakes winners include Crack the Vault, Jullie Zen, Dentons Ruby, and Cart's Forty Four.

Bryant said it will be difficult to find a stallion to take Cartwright's place. "His heart was huge," Bryant said. "A vet told me that the only bigger one he had seen was a heart of a Percheron (a draft horse)."

Bryant has Cartwright's heart in a freezer and plans to bury it at his farm.

Cartwright, who stood in 2005 for $2,500, was bred by Arthur B. Hancock III and produced from the What a Pleasure mare Persuadable.

To take Cartwright's place, Bryant bought Western Outlaw, a half-brother to 2005 grade I winner High Fly. A 4-year-old son of Gone West and a $300,000 Saratoga sale yearling, Western Outlaw was unplaced in two starts. In addition to being a half-brother to Florida Derby (gr. I) winner High Fly, Western Outlaw is a half-brother to stakes winners Estimraar (a graded winner in Dubai) and Smokey Mirage. His dam is grade I-placed Verbasle (by Slewpy).