Vicar, the 1999 Florida Derby and Fountain of Youth (both gr. I) winner, died Jan. 24 at the Korean Racing Authority's Jeju Stud Farm as a result of a "throat obstruction," according to the KRA.
A son of Wild Again produced from the El Gran Senor mare Escrow Agent, Vicar raced for Jim Tafel and trained by Carl Nafzger for most of his career. In addition to wins in the two Florida prep races for the Kentucky Derby (gr. I), in which Vicar finished 18th after starting from post 17, he ran second in the Jerome Stakes and Brown and Williamson Kentucky Jockey Club (both grade II) and third in the Blue Grass Stakes (gr. I).
Retired after winning four of 17 starts and earning $835,142, Vicar stood at Darby Dan Farm until he was exported to Korea following the 2006 breeding season. In the Northern Hemisphere, Vicar sired eight stakes winners and has progeny earnings of $15,244,328. He is also broodmare sire of grade II winner Vicar's in Trouble.
In Korea, Vicar was fifth-leading sire of 2-year-olds with his first crop to race in 2010 and he ranked third on the General Sire List each of the next four years, a list on which he ranked fifth in 2015. At the time of his death, Vicar was second leading sire in Korea for this year, led by group I winner Gumanseok.
Among his top runners have been Gwangyajeil and Dongsco Jeongbeol, the respective winners of the Korean Derby and Minister's Cup, two legs of the KRA Triple Crown. Additional top runners in Korea include Wonderful Namhae, Joy Lucky, and Gumpo Sky.