Coolmore has announced its champion stallion Encosta De Lago has passed away at age 25. The son of Fairy King (USA) has been one of the most influential sires of the past 20 years in Australia, siring 114 stakes winners, who amassed over 250 stakes wins.
He sired 26 Group 1 winners worldwide and his progeny have amassed in excess of $180 million in prize money.
"Encosta will be greatly missed by all who dealt with him at Coolmore over the last 14 years." Coolmore Australia Principal, Tom Magnier said.
"He was a horse with a beautiful nature and we were incredibly lucky to have him. His legacy will live on through his sire line descendants like Zoustar and Rubick, as well as through his daughters, who have already made him champion broodmare sire.”
Encosta De Lago started his stud career at Blue Gum Farm in Victoria in 1997, standing for just $8500, which built to $38,500 over the next six years. Coolmore then moved him to stand at Jerrys Plains, where he was crowned Australia's Champion Sire in 2007-08 and 2008-09. As a measure of his influence, he also claimed Champion Sire status in Hong Kong in 2011-12.
Encosta de Lago
At his peak in 2008, his service fee was $275,000, as his reputation grew on the back of multiple Group 1 winning progeny such as Alinghi, Lashed, Mnemosyne, Racing To Win, Princess Coup and Sirmione.
He retired from stud duties after his 2014 season at 21 years of age, but his progeny have continued to add to his resume. The recently retired Chautauqua was his most successful in terms of elite victories, with six Group 1 victories, while English, Puccini and international pair Sacred Kingdom and Delago Deluxe also won multiple Group 1 races.
He also built a reputation as a sires of sires, thanks to Northern Meteor and Manhattan Rain, as well as emerging stallions Rubick, Needs Further and Von Costa de Hero.
Northern Meteor, who only had four seasons at stud before his premature death in 2013, has been his most influential son, producing current stallions Zoustar, Eurozone, Fighting Sun, Deep Field and Shooting To Win.
