Supergill Passes

Supergill, a $500,000 yearling in the fall of 1986 who went on to become one of the top sires in Italy, passed away at 7:24 a.m. on Sunday, March 17. He was 34 years old and living at the Toniatti family farm in S. Michele al Tagliamento, Italy.

Roberto Toniatti said Supergill lost the appetite and could no longer chew grass and it was obvious it was time for him to end his days. He had been retired from breeding for only five years.

“It is always tough to lose a friend even if Supergill had reached a high age. I will miss him and not least for his outstandingly wonderful temperament. Supergill was happy and cheerful and always came forward and greeted me,” Toniatti told Sweden’s SulkySport magazine.

Toniatti said a memorial is already in place and Supergill will be buried next to the top Italian sire Sharif di Iesolo.

Supergill is a son of Super Bowl and the champion filly Winkys Gill, who lived to be 34. He was bred by Castleton Farm and Ulf Moberg sold as a yearling at Tattersalls and was trained by Continental Farm Stable.

Supergill was the top colt of his generation and won the Peter Haughton Memorial. As a three-year-old he finished second in the Breeders Crown and third in the World Trotting Derby. He was expected to be a top contender in the Hambletonian, but finished off the board. Stretch footage of Supergill’s victory in the 1987 Peter Haughton Memorial Trot appears below.

Supergill stood at stud at Castleton Farm and sired the Hambletonian winner Malabar Man as well as the stakes winners Supergrit, Toss Out, Gramola, Running Sea and former world champion mare Giant Diablo, who set a world record at the Red Mile in 2007. Her record stood for almost seven years.

As a broodmare sire his daughters have produced Coreleone Kosmos, Elitlopp champion Ringostarr Treb, and the former world champion Swedish mare D One.

The Toniatti family paid big money for Supergill in the fall of 1995 and it would prove to be a good investment, although Supergill was a slot starter in the breeding shed once he got to Italy.

Supergill, pictured in victory

“Supergill was not happy when he was going to jump on the phantom, so we had to collect semen from him when he stood with all four hooves on the floor and it worked just as well,” said Toniatti.

Although he had that moment, he was extremely fertile. In Italy he sired 1,548 offspring with 259 sons and daughters in Sweden.

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

(Harnessracing.com)