Stallion Stratum Dies at 14

Golden Slipper winner and highly successful sire Stratum has died at the age of 14.

Widden Stud announced yesterday that the son of Redoute's Choice suffered a heart attack in his paddock.

“It's a very sad day for us all,” Widden Stud owner Antony Thompson said. “He was a great stallion and such a lovely kind horse. He was great to work with and he will be sadly missed.”

Stratum, by Redoute's Choice out of the Luskin Star mare Bourgeois, was had a stellar two-year-old season trained by Newcastle's Paul Perry winning both the Golden Slipper over 1200m at Rosehill defeating Fashions Afield and Media.

In addition to his 2005 Golden Slipper win, Stratum also claimed the Gr. 2 Pago Pago Stakes and was placed in the Gr. 1 Newmarket Handicap, Gr. 2 Roman Consul Stakes, Bill Stutt Stakes and Age Classic, and the Gr. 3 Up and Coming Stakes, Skyline Stakes and Rory's Jester Plate. He earned A$2.2 million in prize-money.

In the Group 2 Pago Pago Stakes over 1200m he defeated Power of Destiny and Seidnazar and when finishing second in the Group 3 Skyline Stakes over 1200m he separated now leading sire Snitzel and Paratroopers on the podium - he was the Australian 2YO champion colt in 2004/5.

Stratum was retired to stand at stud at Widden Stratum and he had the distinction of siring his own Golden Slipper winner when the filly Crystal Lily won the 2010 renewal of the richest two-year-old race in the world. Other Group 1 winners by Stratum include Stratum Star and Streama.

Stratum was standing the 2016 season at an advertised fee of $22,000.

According to Arion Pedigrees statistics, Stratum has sired 389 winners from 568 runners including 30 at stakes level. Crystal Lily, as mentioned, emulated her sire in winning the Golden Slipper in 2010, while Streama won four Group Ones including the Australian Oaks.  Stratum's quartet of Group One winners is rounded out by Stratum Star, who won the Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes, and the Kiwi galloper Southern Lord who won the Levin Classic.

Te Akau's David Ellis purchased a smart, shortly-to-named Stratum colt out of Princess Narine at the 2016 Sydney Easter Sale and he is showing a lot of early promise.