Three-time Ohio stallion of the year Dominus was euthanized at Duncan Farms after developing complications from lymphoma, the farm announced July 22.
"After being hospitalized, we had to make the difficult decision to do what was most humane for our beloved horse," said Daryl Duncan, who operates the farm with his wife Sally.
The 18-year-old son of Smart Strike stood privately at the farm for the past several seasons after being moved from Dr. George Sikora's Mapleton Farm in Polk, Ohio.
"It came to us as a complete surprise," Duncan continued. "Three weeks ago, he looked like a healthy 12-year-old. We had scaled back the number of mares he covered over the past two seasons to our partnership horses and a select few to longtime supporters of his."
Prominent owner/breeder Edward "Ned" Evans bred Dominus out of the multiple graded-placed, multiple black-type winner Cuando. George Bolton bought Dominus for $250,000 at the 2009 Keeneland September Yearling Sale and raced the colt with Stonestreet Stables and Spendthrift Farm. Dominus was a versatile racehorse who did his best running at 3 and 4, which included a victory in the Dwyer Stakes (G2) and a third in the Jim Dandy Stakes (G2) in 2011 for trainer Steve Asmussen, and a win in the 2012 Bernard Baruch Handicap (G2T) for Todd Pletcher. Dominus retired with a 4-2-1 record from 10 starts and earnings of $444,717.
Dominus entered stud at Spendthrift Farm near Lexington in 2013, then was sold and relocated to Ohio starting in 2022, when he topped the Ohio sire standings with nearly $3.6 million in progeny earnings. He would be Ohio's leading sire again in 2023 and 2024 and leads the standings this year through July 22 with more than $872,000 in progeny earnings.
His top regional performers include multiple state champion Amadevil, Ohio's 2022 Horse of the Year and champion female sprinter who earned state championship honors in 2021 as the top handicap mare and 3-year-old filly. He also sired 2024 Indiana Horse of the Year Demolisher, 2021 Ohio-bred champion 2-year-old filly Candlelight Hours, and 2023 Ohio-bred champion 2-year-old filly City Scene.
Dominus' Ohio program runners have generated well over $3.8 million in state-bred earnings. He was valued by regional breeders for his progeny's durability, speed, and consistent performance.
To date, Dominus has sired 188 winners, which include 15 black-type winners. His progeny have collectively earned more than $20.4 million and average $81,639 per runner.
