Giant’s Causeway was a Kentucky-bred thoroughbred racehorse who competed primarily in Europe.
Former Horse Of The Year and triple US champion sire Giant’s Causeway has died. The son of Storm Cat was 21 at the time of his death, and representatives of Ashford Stud state the veteran stallion died following a brief illness.
Cartier Horse Of The Year in 2000, Giant’s Causeway won nine of his 13 races, and reeled off five consecutive G1 victories at three.
His five G1 winning streak included the St James’s Palace Stakes, Eclipse Stakes, Sussex Stakes, Juddmonte International and Irish Champion Stakes.
Giant’s Causeway, who ended his racing campaign with a game second in the G1 Breeders’ Cup Classic, earned more than $3 million during his career.
The chestnut proved as successful at stud, if not more so, than he was on the track.
His successful sire sons include Shamardal (sire of top stallion Lope De Vega), Footstepsinthesand and First Samurai. Another son, Creative Cause, is the sire of current leading US 3yo My Boy Jack.
Giant’s Causeway, who was Champion Sire in North America in 2009, 2010 and 2012, left behind more than 170 stakes winners, and over 30 G1 winners.
The champion also made his mark in South Africa, through such G1 winners as Our Giant and Blueridge Mountain.
He is also an outstanding broodmare sire, with his daughters having produced such G1 winners as Gun Runner, Beauty Parlour, Eden’s Moon, Verrazano, Escado and local champion, and Wilgerbosdrift sire, Soft Falling Rain.
