'His story is inextricably bound to the farm's own' - Drakenstein Stud's champion sire Trippi dies aged 29

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Trippi, Drakenstein Stud's foundation stallion and champion sire, has died at the age of 29, the operation announced on Friday. 

Crowned South African champion sire in 2015-16, Trippi sired 857 winners worldwide, including 94 stakes winners of 191 stakes races and 14 individual Grade 1 winners. 

His South African record is led by two champions now standing at Drakenstein: Charles Dickens, winner of the Cape Guineas, Gold Challenge and King's Plate, plus Jet Dark, who won five Grade 1 races, including two Queen's Plates, two Champions Cups and the Cape Town Met. 

Trippi's other top-flight winners include Afrikaburn, Deo Juvente, Inara, October Morn, Real Princess, Chimichuri Run, Lobo's Legend, For The Lads, Sweet Pepper and Trip Of Fortune.

As a broodmare sire, Trippi's daughters have produced 66 stakes winners, including nine Grade 1 winners. One of his early US stakes winners, Miss Macy Sue, is the dam of Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile winner Liam's Map and his half-brother, Breeders' Cup Juvenile second Not This Time. The former is responsible for Grade 1 winners including this year's Preakness Stakes hero Napoleon Solo, while Not This Time is now one of the most influential stallions in the world, standing at a career-high fee of $250,000 this year. 

Born in Florida in 1997, Trippi was bred by Harry Mangurian, Jr. and raced for owner Dogwood Stable and trainer Todd Pletcher. He won seven of his 14 starts, headed by the Grade 1 Vosburgh Stakes in 2000, with further Graded victories in the Riva Ridge Stakes, Tom Fool Handicap, Flamingo Stakes and Swale Stakes Handicap.

The statue of Trippi stands tall at the picturesque Western Cape studCredit: Drakenstein Stud

He retired to stand at Ocala Stud in 2002, where his American crops established him among Florida's leading sires, before his move to Drakenstein in 2008. 

A statement from Drakenstein said: "After establishing the stud in 2003, Gaynor Rupert travelled to America to view 28 potential stallions, and was immediately captivated by the magnificent bay, describing him as the most beautiful horse she had ever seen. Gaynor made the decision to purchase him as her first sire to stand at Drakenstein, and the beginning of a legacy was born.

"For Gaynor Rupert, Trippi's importance was inseparable from the development of Drakenstein itself. He arrived before the farm had an established stallion roster and supplied it with an identity: an internationally proven horse whose results justified the decision to bring him to the Cape. Many of his best South African horses were bred or raced by Drakenstein, among them Charles Dickens, Inara, Winchester Mansion, and Trip Of Fortune, making his story inextricably bound to the farm's own."

It added: "Trippi's final crop are three-year-olds in South Africa this season. As they continue to race, and as his sons' first generations come through, the influence of Drakenstein's first stallion remains very much a part of the present rather than only its history.

"Trippi was expertly cared for by his long-time stallion handler Schedrick Oerson, whose favourite moments with Trippi were their daily walks on the farm in the mornings, just the two of them, like old friends. Schedrick shared that it was a privilege and an honour to work with him."

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