Group 1 racehorse and sire All American has died following a cardiac arrest at Geisel Park Stud in Western Australia.
All American (Red Ransom) was the first stallion to stand commercially at Geisel Park when he covered over 100 mares in 2016 after beginning his stud career at Arrowfield in the Hunter Valley.
“It is with great sadness we announce the passing of All American,” studmaster Conor Dunlop posted on Facebook on Thursday. “He touched the hearts of many along the way and we will forever appreciate his impact at Geisel Park.
“He was running around his paddock as good as gold yesterday but died this morning. He was 19 and has six of the seven mares he served this season in foal.”
Geisel Park owner Eddie Rigg inked the deal for a transfer to Western Australia that was timed to perfection in March 2016. A week later All American’s 2yo filly Yankee Rose flew home for a half-length second to Capitalist in the G1 Golden Slipper Stakes (1200m) at Rosehill.
Yankee Rose followed up with a championship victory in the G1 ATC Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m) at Randwick and returned six months later to beat the colts in G1 Spring Champion Stakes (2000m).
“I was sure we had the right horse in All American prior to the Golden Slipper but I’m pinching myself now that Yankee Rose has announced herself as the real deal,” Rigg said prior to the Sires’ Produce Stakes. “She looks a bona-fide star in the making.”
All American added another Group 1 when Dark Dream won the 2018 Queensland Derby (2400m) before his sale to Hong Kong clients of trainer David Hayes. The Lindsay Park maestro had prepared All American to a career-high victory over So You Think (High Chaparral) in a memorable edition of the G1 VRC Emirates Stakes (1600m) at Flemington in 2009.
That was the day he clocked the fastest ever Flemington mile by an entire (1:33.98s) leaving the G1 Cox Plate champion more than two lengths in arrears. “All American had the physique of a 3yo miler yet was one of my fastest and precocious 2yos,” Hayes explained. “He trained on to beat the world champion at four and retired as sound as he raced. My vet never saw him and I wish I had another one like him.”
All American also hit the ground running with his first Geisel Park-conceived 2yo crop siring early-season Ascot winners American Choice, Too Spicy and Our Danni before Christmas in 2019.
Bred by John Singleton at Strawberry Hill Stud, All American has sired 254 individual winners of 757 races which includes results from a one-off shuttle season to Darby Dan Farm in Kentucky in 2011.
