Mutakddim dies in Argentina

News has come out of Argentina that 23-year-old stallion Mutakddim passed away reportedly of infirmities due to old age on March 26, 2014, where he stood at Haras La Quebrada.

A blue-blooded chestnut colt by Seeking the Gold out of Phipps-family cull Oscillate (by Seattle Slew), Mutakddim was bred in Kentucky by Deer Lawn Farm, Carloss & Lamont. Mutakddim was Oscillate’s first, and best, foal, although her 1992 Easy Goer filly Smooth Charmer would go on to become Grade 1-placed and another daughter produced Grade 1 winner Frost Giant. Oscillate, a winner, was a half-sister to 1989 champion two-year-old Rhythm; Grade 3 winner Get Lucky (dam of Girolamo-G1, Daydreaming-G2, and Accelerator-G3, and granddam of Kentucky Derby winner Super Saver); and stakes-placed/good sire Not for Love -- all of whom were by Mr. Prospector -- and to Grade 1-placed Offbeat (Fappiano). Their dam Dance Number won the Beldame S.-G1 and Shuvee H.-G2 in 1983, and was a half-sister to top sire Private Account (Damascus), out of champion Numbered Account (Buckpasser).

Shadwell Estate Co. purchased Mutakddim for $200,000 at the 1992 Keeneland July sale and sent him to England to be trained by John Gosden. He raced with moderate success, winning five of 17 starts, most notably the Listed John of Gaunt Stakes, and he placed in a Group 2 and three Group 3s.

Mutakddim, the sire of 108 black-type winners, stood at Hill ’n’ Dale in Kentucky for $5,000 upon his retirement. He shuttled to Haras La Quebrada for Southern Hemisphere duty throughout most of his career before staying at La Quebrada the last few years of his life. He covered 25 mares in 2011, resulting in 19 live foals that are currently two-year-olds, from his final season in the U.S.

At stud, Mutakddim became a very important sire, primarily in South America: Unofficially, roughly 46 of his 51 Graded or Group stakes winners were South American-breds who won their major races in Argentina or other South American countries. His biggest horses in the U.S. were Lady Tak-G1,  Jazzy-G2, Breath of Love-G3, Hattiesburg-G3, and Ravalo-G3, and he also sired Nyuk Nyuk Nyuk, a stakes-winning gelding with 18 wins and over $813,000 to his credit.

He crossed very well with another La Quebrada legend, Southern Halo, siring 21 Graded stakes winners out of mares by that sire. Overall, Mutakddim sired 108 stakes winners, and he will undoubtedly be missed in the South American breeding community. He bred 76 mares in 2013, per the La Nacion notice linked above.