Easy Goer - As A Sire

As A Sire

After his retirement from racing, Easy Goer stood stud at the famed Claiborne Farm in Paris, Kentucky. He had the ultimate honor of occupying the number one stall in the number one barn. His stall was previously occupied by Bold Ruler and Secretariat. When only eight years old, Easy Goer was turned out for exercise one day and spent the time bucking and racing around his pasture. Dr. Thomas Swerczek, the veterinary pathologist at the University of Kentucky who conducted Easy Goer's 1994 postmortem examination, determined that the horse died of an anaphylactic reaction to an undetermined allergen and also had cancerous tumors in multiple organs. But the veterinarians were convinced the cancer did not kill Easy Goer and probably would not have been fatal for a long time. The vets also said that fatal allergic reactions are more common than most professionals realize.

Upon his premature death, Easy Goer was buried at Claiborne Farm where many champion Thoroughbreds are buried, including Secretariat, Buckpasser and Bold Ruler.

At stud, in just a few crops before his premature death, Easy Goer sired three Grade I winners and 9 total stakes winners (7%), from 136 foals, of which 101 were starters. His most notable sons and daughters include the colt Will's Way (who won the Grade I Whitney Handicap and Grade I Travers Stakes just like his sire. Will's Way in turn, sired the Grade I Cigar Mile Handicap winner Lion Tamer) and the fillies My Flag(winner of the Grade I Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies, Grade I Ashland Stakes, Grade I Coaching Club American Oaks and Grade I Gazelle Stakes) and Furlough (winner of the Grade I Ballerina Handicap and dam of Stakes Winners Happy Hunting and Pardon). He also sired Grade II Jim Dandy Stakes winner Composer, and the stakes winning mares Relaxing Rhythm (winner of the Grade II Molly Pitcher Handicap), Smooth Charmer and Jetto. My Flag, the product of a mating with the 1996 Kentucky Broodmare of the Year, Personal Ensign, is the dam of champion filly Storm Flag Flying and the stakes-placed On Parade(dam of multiple stakes winner Parading, who stands at Claiborne Farm), and stakes winner With Flying Colors. Personal Ensign (1988 Breeders' Cup Distaff), My Flag (1995 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies), and Storm Flag Flying (2002 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies) were the first three-generation consecutive winners of Breeders' Cup races.

Easy Goer is also proving to be an influential broodmare sire (from only 53 mares by Easy Goer, they have produced 22 stakes winners), with Grade I Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies winner and Eclipse Award Champion Storm Flag Flying, Grade I Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile and Metropolitan Handicap (Grade I) winner Corinthian, Coaching Club American Oaks (Grade I) and Shuvee Handicap(Grade II) winner Funny Moon, Blue Grass Stakes (Grade I) winner Monba, French 2000 Guineas (Group 1) winner Astronomer Royal, Yellow Ribbon Stakes (Grade I), Del Mar Oaks(Grade I), Gamely Stakes(Grade I) and John C. Mabee Handicap(Grade I) winner Magical Fantasy, promising young sire Mull of Kintyre(Winner of the Group II Gimcrack Stakes in England and sire of multiple Group I winner Araafa), stakes winners Happy Hunting(Winner of the Grade III Aqueduct Handicap), Spring Waltz(Winner of the Grade II Rampart Handicap), Navesink River(Winner of the Grade II Pan American Handicap), Desert Hero(Winner of the Grade II San Rafael Stakes), Sea Chanter, Sue's Good News, Unbridled Jet, Easyfromthegitgo, Nolan's Cat, Easy Grades,Pardon and the aforementioned Storm Flag Flying and her half sister With Flying Colors (who was sired by A.P. Indy) among his daughter's offspring.

In 1997, Easy Goer was inducted into the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame, the ultimate honor in American Thoroughbred racing.