Millionaire Fighting Fit Dead

Millionaire and pensioned California stallion Fighting Fit was euthanized Aug. 10 because of the infirmities of old age. The 26-year-old son of Full Pocket had spent the last two years in retirement at Ballena Vista Farm near Ramona, Calif., since being pensioned after the 2003 breeding season. He was buried at the farm.

"Although still eager for his daily treats, severe arthritis and other age-related maladies were greatly compromising his quality of life," said Manuel Ochoa, farm manager. "We will certainly miss him, but we always want to do what's best for our horses, so the difficult decision was made to euthanize him."

Bred by Nuckols Brothers and raced by Jerome Moss, Fighting Fit went to the post an amazing 49 times in his four-year race career and won 14 races. Six of the wins came in stakes, including the Paterson (gr. II) and Mervyn LeRoy (gr. II) Handicaps. Eight of his nine stakes-placings came in graded events, the most important of which was the inaugural Breeders' Cup Sprint (gr. I) in 1984. He closed out his career with earnings of $1,004,174, after which he entered stud at Ashleigh Stud Farm near Paris, Ky.

Fighting Fit, who was produced from the Nilo mare Napalm, sired 13 stakes winners and the earners of $10.5 million. Leading the way among the stakes winners were graded winners Fighting Fantasy and Lady Sonata, plus track-record setter Fighting Notion.