Classic-Placed Musket Man Dies in Korea at 20

Musket Man, an American classic-placed multiple graded stakes winner and leading sire in South Korea for prominent owner/breeder Son Chun-soo, died Jan. 17, according to Korea Racing Authority records. The 20-year-old son of Yonaguska sired five champions in Korea, including Winners Man, who was named Horse of the Year in 2022-23 and honored with six champion titles during his three-year career. Winners Man's other titles are as champion older horse 2022-23 and champion stayer 2022-23. Winners Man raced from 4 to 6 and earned US$2,811,344. Musket Man topped Korea's sire standings in 2022 with total progeny earnings equivalent to $2,490,966. Other champions sired by Musket Man include five-time champion Raon First (2019-22), Raon The Spurt (2021 champion 2-year-old filly and 2023 champion older mare), Hangang Class (2023 champion 2-year-old male), and Raon Giant (2022 champion 2-year-old filly). Musket Man has remained among the top five Korean stallions since 2022. He has sired 64 winners from 81 starters, as of Jan. 28, which include 10 black-type winners and one internationally recognized group stakes winner. Winners Man won the internationally recognized 2022 Korea Cup (G3) but also won six locally recognized group stakes—three as Korea-only group 1s. His progeny have collectively earned more than US$10.9 million. Bred in Kentucky by Jim Nelson and Sergio De Sousa, Musket Man sold for $15,000 during the 2007 Keeneland September Yearling Sale and then became a $35,000 buyback at the 2008 Fasig-Tipton Midlantic May 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale. He would eventually race for owners Eric Fein and Vic Carlson and trainer Derek Ryan, who celebrated victories from him in the 2009 Illinois Derby (G2) and Tampa Bay Derby (G3) and third-place finishes in the Kentucky Derby (G1) and Preakness Stakes (G1). Musket Man also ran second in the 2010 Metropolitan Handicap (G1) and Carter Handicap (G1) and was third in the Whitney Stakes (G1). Musket Man retired with a 6-3-5 record from 16 starts and earned $1,236,820. Vinery Florida got his stallion career started and then Musket Man was moved to Elite Thoroughbreds in Louisiana for three seasons and Waldorf Farm in New York for 2015 before he was exported to Korea in January 2016. His best North American runners include Ostrolenka, who won three stakes in New York, and Maga Man, Mageez, and Saints N Muskets, who all won multiple stakes in Louisiana. As a broodmare sire, Musket Man has been represented by 16 winners led by black-type winner Talented Man, who won the 2023 Marshall Jenney Handicap on the turf at Parx Racing.