Arch (horse)

Arch (1995 – January 20, 2016) was a Kentucky-bred race horse and sire. He was the son of Kris S. and Aurora by Danzig, won the Grade 1 Super Derby and sired many notable stakes winners.

Race career

Arch had a short but productive racing career. On his first outing during his two-year-old season, he broke his maiden by a length and a half.

Frank Brothers brought Arch back as a three-year-old in April to win an allowance race. He was then put on a four-month break to prepare for his stakes debut.

After two more allowance races (in which he came in second and first), he was entered in the Super Derby at Louisiana Downs. Arch broke well and stalked the pace. On the second turn, he made his move and battled down the stretch with eventual Gr.2 millionaire Classic Cat. Arch won by three lengths.^[1]

He was then entered the Fayette Breeders' Cup (now the Fayette Stakes) against three opponents. Arch beat Touch Gold (the previous year’s Belmont Stakes winner) by a neck in a record time of 1:53.87.^[2]

In the 1998 Breeders' Cup Classic at Churchill Downs, Arch placed ninth in a 10-horse field that included Skip Away, Swain, Silver Charm and Victory Gallop. With Shane Sellers aboard, Arch was either second or third in each of the first four splits, but faded down the stretch.^[3] After this race, Arch was retired to stand stud.^[4]

Breeding career

Arch now resides at Claiborne Farm standing for a fee of US$40,000 in 2013, up from his $30,000 fee of 2012 due to the success of his progeny.^[5][6] As of 2012, he has sired 38 stakes winners, with 20 of them being graded winners. Eight are Grade 1 winners, and four are champions.

Arch’s get included Breeders' Cup Classic winner Blame, Canadian Horse of the Year Arravale, and Grade 1 winners Les Arcs, Hymn Book and Archarcharch. He was the broodmare sire of Kentucky Derby winner I'll Have Another and Eclipse Champion Two Year Old Colt Uncle Mo.^[7]

Death

He died on January 20, 2016 of an apparent heart attack, according to Bernie Sams, representative of Claiborne Farm, where the 21-year-old stood at stud.^[8]

References