Tiago dead at age 11

Edited Press Release

Adena Springs announced that multiple Grade 1-scoring millionaire Tiago has been euthanized following a long battle with an inoperable chronic digestive disorder.

The 11-year-old suffered his first major bout of colic in 2012 and did not service mares that year. Since that episode Tiago has been under the care of Adena Springs Kentucky stallion manager Bill Drury and his staff.

“Tiago was a wonderful horse to be around and Frank would like to thank (owners/breeders) Jerry and Ann Moss for entrusting us with his care,” Adena Springs General Manager Eoin Ryan said.

“That we're making this announcement in November of 2015 and not in 2012 is a testament to Bill Drury and the Adena Springs stallion team who have gone to extraordinary lengths to keep Tiago happy and strong the past three years.”

Trained by John Shirreffs throughout his four seasons of racing, Tiago earned his first major victory in the 2007 Santa Anita Derby (G1). The bay would go on to contest that year’s Kentucky Derby (G1), a race his older half-brother Giacomo had captured in 2005, and finished seventh before heading to New York for a third-place run in the Belmont S. (G1).

Tiago followed the Belmont showing with wins in the Goodwood Breeders’ Cup S. (G1) and Swaps Breeders’ Cup S. (G2) before closing out his sophomore season with a fifth-place effort in the Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1).

The Pleasant Tap homebred would go on in 2008 to be third in the Breeders’ Cup Classic while taking the Oaklawn H. (G2) and placing in the Goodwood, Strub S. (G2), Californian S. (G2) and San Fernando Breeders’ Cup S. (G2). He competed just three times in his 2009 final season, with his best effort coming as a third in the San Antonio H. (G2).

Tiago retired to Adena Springs for the 2010 breeding season boasting a 5-3-5 mark from 20 career starts and $2,358,270 in lifetime earnings. In addition to Giacomo, he is also a half-brother to Grade 3 victress and multiple Grade 1-placed Stanwyck, with all three out of the multiple stakes-winning Set Them Free.

Tiago produced four total crops, two of which are of racing age. His most successful offspring include Viva Majorca, who captured the Kelly’s Landing S. earlier this year before going on to place in the Forego S. (G1) and Ack Ack H. (G3) in his last pair, as well as multiple stakes-placed Golden Tiago, Fallfire and Son of Tiago.

Tiago will be buried in the Adena Springs Kentucky farm cemetery.

Tiago photo courtesy of Adena Springs via Twitter