Reports from Europe indicate that talented trotter and sire Donerail has passed away at age 25.
One of the last star horses trained by harness racing legend Stanley Dancer, Donerail (Valley Victory - Bedell) was an outstanding two-year-old. He ended his rookie season with a 13-0-1 summary from 15 starts, a mark of 1:55.4 taken at The Meadowlands (a track record) and more than $636,000 in purses.
He was hampered by throat problems as a three-year-old and never returned to that form, finishing his sophomore season before the Hambletonian with a respectable 3-1-2 record and retiring in late July.
As a stallion, Donerail sired 662 starters in North America with 111 winners of $100,000 or more and 39 with marks of 1:55 or faster. His top earning racehorse was Spellbound Hanover, whose son Marion Marauder won harness racing's Triple Crown in 2016. Of Donerail's top 10 earners, seven were fillies.
Daughters of Donerail have passed that on-track success to their offspring with three other Hambletonian winners coming from mares sired by Donerail: Donato Hanover (Andover Hall - D Train), Broad Bahn (Broadway Hall - Madonarail) and Royalty For Life (RC Royalty - Bourbon N Grits).
Donerail was exported to Finland in 2007 and stood at stud there for a number of years before being relocated to Denmark, where he passed away due to natural causes.
Please join Standardbred Canada in offering condolences to the connections of Donerail.