Influential sire Medaglia d’Oro dies aged 27 in Kentucky
Former Darley shuttler Medaglia d’Oro has died in Kentucky after an influential breeding career which included five Group 1 winners from his Australian crops.
Medaglia d’Oro, sire of Golden Slipper winner Vancouver, Golden Rose winner Astern and Hong Kong champion Golden Sixty, died at Jonabell Farm in Lexington, Kentucky, on Friday, aged 27.
The son of El Prado was pensioned at the end of the 2025 Northern Hemisphere breeding season and will be buried at the farm.
He sired 31 individual Group/Grade 1 winners and 190 stakes winners worldwide. They included Eclipse champions Rachel Alexandra, Songbird and Nitrogen, along with Golden Sixty, the Australian-bred three-time Hong Kong Horse of the Year.
Medaglia d’Oro began shuttling to Darley’s Kelvinside farm at Aberdeen in 2010 at an introductory fee of $88,000. He covered eight Southern Hemisphere books. His debut Australian crop featured 10 Group horses, including Vancouver. His Australian seasons also produced Group 1 winners Flit and Crown Prosecutor, the New Zealand Derby winner.
His cross with Exceed And Excel mares produced Astern, Crown Prosecutor and Group 2 winner Kallos.
Both of his Australian Group 1-winning sons at stud have since left the country. Vancouver won the 2015 Golden Slipper and retired with four wins from five starts. He stood at Coolmore and Woodside Park, and sired Group 1-winning sprinter Overpass, and was sold to Libya’s Al Shaab Stud last year. Astern won the 2016 Golden Rose and served eight Australian seasons, siring Caulfield Guineas winner Golden Mile and Australasian Oaks winner Affaire a Suivre. He was exported to Turkiye in February 2025.
His influence in Australia now runs mainly through his daughters. As of this month, they had produced 161 individual stakes winners, among them 13 Group/Grade 1 winners worldwide, including Goldrush Guru, who won the 2024 Victoria Derby, Apocalyptic and Campione D’Italia.
On the track, Medaglia d’Oro won the Travers Stakes, Whitney Handicap and Donn Handicap for trainer Bobby Frankel, and earned US$5.7 million.
“Medaglia d’Oro leaves a legacy that will not be forgotten. He achieved greatness on the track and in the stallion barn. We are grateful for all who supported him through the years. He knew he was special and quickly became a fan favorite on the farm,” Dan Pride, COO of Godolphin America, said,.
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