Blue Chip Farms has notified the harness racing industry of the passing of Credit Winner on June 3, 2022 at the age of 25.

"After a peaceful retirement from active stallion duties in 2020 his physical condition deteriorated dramatically this spring," said the farm in a release. "His struggles over the last few days have been such that syndicate manager Tom Grossman, and Blue Chip’s veterinarian, Dr. Herbert Burns, made the tough, but humane, decision to choose euthanasia as palliative measures were ineffectual. Credit Winner was beloved by everybody and enriched everybody who crossed his path."

"We missed a lot of lunch breaks because of Credit but it was always well worth it,"  said Blue Chip’s stallion manager Alex Avila.

In 1999, freshman trotter Credit Winner earned $359,207, finishing on the board in eight of his nine starts. Major victories included divisions of the International Stallion Stake and the Bluegrass. As a three-year-old in 2000, Credit Winner finished on the board in 12 of 14 starts, with six wins and earnings of $1,136,088. Major victories included the Kentucky Futurity and Old Oaken Bucket. Credit Winner retired with a career racing record of 23-9-9-2.

As a stallion, Credit Winner has sired winners of more then $103 million, including six millionaires, with 300 $100,000 winners and 154 in 1:55. He is the sire of Devious Man 3,1:52.2s ($1,338,677), winner of the 2016 New York Sire Stakes final and 2017 Earl Beal Jr. Memorial and EBC final; 2005 Dan Patch Two-Year-Old Trotting Colt of the Year and world champion Chocolatier 3,1:53 ($1,324,800), winner of the 2006 World Trotting Derby and 2005 Breeders Crown; 2012 Yonkers Trot winner, world champion Archangel 5,1:50 ($1,140,972); 2011 Earl Beal Jr. Memorial winner and world champion Dejarmbro 3,1:52.2f ($1,137,285); Calchips Brute 5,1:54.3 ($1,082,437) and world champion Crazed 3,1:52.2 ($1,063,059), winner of the 2008 Colonial and Matron Stakes.

As a broodmare sire, Credit Winner has sired the dams of winners of more than $60 million with 172 $100,000 winners, 117 in 1:55, and four millionaires including 2015 O’Brien Older Trotting Horse of the Year Resolve 4,1:50.4 ($2,621,086), winner of the 2016 Yonkers International Trot and Maple Leaf Trot; 2018 Yonkers International Trot winner Cruzado Dela Noche 3,1:53.3f ($1,383,639); Bar Hopping 3,1:51.4 ($1,292,433), winner of the 2016 Breeders Crown, Canadian Trotting Classic and Zweig Memorial; and 2019 Kentucky Sire Stakes final and 2020 Zweig Memorial winner Ready For Moni 4,1:50.3 ($1,204,068).

This past January, Credit Winner was announced as one of this year's into the Harness Racing Living Horse Hall of Fame.

"Credit Winner will live on in his sons and daughters. Blue Chip is proud to have been his home for his entire stallion career. The farm joins all of his syndicate members in genuine gratefulness."

Please join Standardbred Canada in offering condolences to the connections of Credit Winner.

(with files from Blue Chip Farms; all earnings in USD)