Rahy Dies

Rakeen’s half brother out of the same mare Glorious Song, Rahy, died 22 September at Three Chimneys Farm in Kentucky at the age of 26. He was by Blushing Groom out of Eclipse Award/Sovereign Award winner Glorious Song by Halo. He has been buried at Three Chimneys.

Purchased by Gainsborough Stud Management for $2 million at the 1986 Keeneland July yearling sale, Rahy began his racing career in Europe with trainer Sir Michael Stoute, winning the Sirenia Stakes and running second in the Middle Park Stakes in England. As a 4-year-old he was transferred to Neil Drysdale in California and won three of six starts, including the Bel Air Handicap (grade 2) by 10 lengths.
Upon his retirement from racing, Three Chimneys purchased a 50% interest in Rahy and stood him in partnership with the Maktoum family for the duration of his career.

Rahy was one of the farm’s flagship stallions, beginning his stud career at Three Chimneys in 1990 for a fee of $15,000. His stud fee reached as high as $100,000 during a career in which he emerged as a leading international sire and later as a highly sought-after broodmare sire.

Due to declining fertility, Rahy was pensioned in July 2009, and he remained at Three Chimneys throughout his retirement.

He has been described as a little horse with a lot of heart. and the ultimate ‘great things come in small packages’ kind of horse, by stallion manager Sandy Hatfield. “He kicked harder and faster than any of the other stallions, but that definitely wasn’t a reason not to love him. I have so much respect for that horse. We’ll miss him a lot.”

Three Chimneys president Case Clay has described Rahy as one of the most important stallions they have ever had, and “as a stallion, he had a profound and lasting impact on the breed and was integral to the development and success of Three Chimneys. He was truly a world-class international sire.”

Rahy sired 91 stakes winners, including 13 grade/group I winners and 14 millionaires, in the 19 years that he was at stud. His progeny have accumulated nearly $97 million in worldwide earnings. His offspring’s $109,470 average earnings per starter puts him in the top one-half of 1% of all sires.

Some of his most notable offspring include European champion and 2001 Breeders’ Cup Turf winner Fantastic Light, Hall of Famer and 11-time grade I winner Serena’s Song, champion Dreaming of Anna, multiple grade II winner and track record-setter Lewis Michael, English champion Noverre, and multiple group I winner Rio De La Plata.

As a broodmare sire, Rahy is represented by more than 100 stakes winners including sire sensation Giant’s Causeway, Rutherienne, and Life At Ten.

His half-brother Rakeen (by Northern Dancer) has made a large impact on South African breeding, particularly through his son and South African Champion Stallion for the 5th year in a row Jet Master.