Well Decorated won the Sport Page Handicap at Aqueduct following his return that fall. He last raced in December and retired with six wins from 16 starts and earnings of $455,836.Well Decorated, who was produced from the Majestic Prince mare Paris Breeze, entered stud for $25,000 at Dr. William O. Reed's Mare Haven Farm near Lexington and stood there until his relocation to Illinois. He has sired 35 stakes winners and the earners of $23.5 million. His graded winners include Notebook, Notation, and Formal Dinner, who ranks as one of Florida's leading sires.Well Decorated was buried at Illinois Stud.
Well Decorated, one of the top 2-year-olds of 1980, was euthanized at Jim McCoy's Illinois Stud near Woodstock, Ill., because of complications from arthritis. His death came last December at age 26. The son of Raja Baba had resided at Illinois Stud since 2004.Campaigned as a homebred by Herbert Allen, Well Decorated was the leading earner the year Raja Baba topped both the 1980 general and 2-year-old sires lists. He captured the year's richest race for juveniles, the $401,475 Arlington-Washington Futurity (gr. I), as well as the Saratoga Special Stakes (gr. II). His impost of 123 pounds on the Experimental Free Handicap was three pounds below champion and topweight Lord Avie.Trainer Eugene Jacobs placed Well Decorated on the Triple Crown trail, and the colt responded early on with a win in the Bahamas Stakes and a close runner-up finish in the Flamingo Stakes (gr. I), both at Hialeah. Well Decorated then finished fourth in a Keeneland allowance. Sent off at 65-1 in the Kentucky Derby (gr. I), Well Decorated remained in contention up to the far turn, but weakened and finished 16th. He was given several months off.
