Carson City, died Friday.
Carson City, the 14th ranked sire by progeny earnings in 2004, died Friday morning at Overbrook Farm. The cause of death is not known, pending the results of an autopsy.Ric Waldman, an adviser to the Young family's Overbrook Farm near Lexington, Ky., said a farm employee found the 17-year-old stallion in distress in his stall Christmas Eve morning. He was attended to by farm staff and died soon afterward.Waldman said Carson City, by Mr. Prospector -- Blushing Promise, by Blushing Groom, was booked full for 2005. His book would have been between 110-125 mares. Carson City's fee was $35,000.Carson City had an outstanding year in 2004, with 10 stakes winners and the earners of more than $5.6 million. His leading earning this year was Pollard's Vision, who earned more than $1 million and won the Illinois Derby (gr. II). His other stakes winners this year included Molto Vita (Thoroughbred Club of America, gr. III) and Classic Elegance (Schuylerville Stakes, gr. II). The latter was one of the reason's Carson City also this year ranked highly on the list of leading sires of juveniles, ranked 16th with two stakes winners and more than $800,000.In all, Carson City has sired 72 lifetime stakes winners and the earners in excess of $50 million. His leading earner is State City, who earned $1,375,993.Carson City was bred and raced by Overbrook and was trained by D. Wayne Lukas. He won six of his lifetime starts and earned $306,240. As a 2-year-old in 1989, Carson City won the Sapling Stakes, and the following season he won the Fall Highweight (gr. II) and Boojum (gr. III) Handicaps.His dam was also an Overbrook homebred, though she was unraced and produced just one foal. She was out of the Nijinsky II mare Summertime Promise.
