Cover image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
Perennial leading sire Medaglia d'Oro (USA) passed away on Friday at Darley’s Jonabell Farm at the age of 27.
The sire of 31 Grade 1 winners and 101 Graded stakes winners, his top progeny include Eclipse champions Rachel Alexandra (USA), Songbird (USA) and Nitrogen (USA) as well as three-time Hong Kong Horse of the Year Golden Sixty. The Darley shuttle sire was pensioned from stallion duties at the end of 2025. Medaglia d'Oro will be buried at Jonabell Farm.
“Medaglia d'Oro leaves a legacy that will not be forgotten,” said Dan Pride, COO of Godolphin America.
“He achieved greatness on the track and in the stallion barn. We are grateful for all who supported him through the years. He knew he was special and quickly became a fan favourite on the farm.”
“Medaglia d'Oro leaves a legacy that will not be forgotten.” - Dan Pride
Darley Australia’s Alastair Pulford added, “He was a great stallion for us for a number of years. Godolphin America bought him once Rachel Alexandra had appeared on the scene.
“He was a very expensive up and coming stallion. But he repaid their faith in him back in spades. He’s sired good horses in both hemispheres and his progeny were known for their very good temperaments. They were very easy horses to get along with. He was an easy horse to get along with, himself.”
Alastair Pulford | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
The makings of a world-class sire
The US$10,000 (AU$14,400) mating of the mare Cappucino Bay (USA) (Bailjumper {USA}) with El Prado (Ire) in 1998 ultimately resulted in the sire of 31 individual Grade 1/Group 1 winners around the world and one of the most prominent American sires of the century.
Medaglia d'Oro's sire El Prado, a joint champion 2-year-old in Ireland, was one of the first sons of Sadler's Wells (USA) to establish himself as an influential stallion in the United States as the leading sire in North America in 2002. Sadler's Wells, who would become a 14-time leading sire in Great Britain and Ireland, had yet to sire the iconic stallion Galileo (Ire) at the time of Medaglia d'Oro's foaling, and his other top son Montjeu (Ire) was just a 3-year-old.
Medaglia d'Oro was out of the Washington-bred Bailjumper (USA) mare Cappucino Bay. The mare was a daughter of Dubbed In (USA) (Silent Screen {USA}), who produced two other winners including the stakes-winning gelding Maharesred (USA) (Maheras {USA}). Cappucino Bay's female family traces back to several Graded black-type horses under her second dam including G1 Sapling Stakes winner Travelling Music (USA) (Spring Double {USA}), as well as Mistic (Per) (North Tower {USA}), a Group 1 winner in Peru.
The late Medaglia d'Oro | Image courtesy of Darley
When Cappucino Bay failed to meet her US$3200 (AU$4600) reserve as a yearling, she was retained by breeders Albert and Joyce Bell. She broke her maiden in the Mercer Girls Stakes as a juvenile. Upon retirement as a 5-year-old, she became a broodmare for the Bells, producing nine foals and five winners.
Her second foal Expresso Bay (USA) (Metfield {USA}) was the first of four runners who would reach six-figure earnings, placing in multiple stakes over her seven-year career. Cappucino Bay's 2008 foal Naples Bay (USA) (Giant's Causeway {USA}) was a two-time Graded stakes winner. Upon retirement in 2014, Naples Bay was sold to Coolmore's M.V. Magnier in foal to War Front (USA) for US$3.6 million (AU$5.2 million) at the Keeneland November Sale.
From humble beginnings, a stellar racing career
Medaglia d'Oro was foaled in April 11, 1999 in Paris, Kentucky, as his dam's fourth foal. He was sent back to the Bells at their home in Great Falls, Montana, and then completed a portion of his early training on a ranch in Arizona.
He made his racing debut in December of 2001 as a juvenile, running second at Turfway Park for Joyce Bell and trainer David Vance. He would go on to break his maiden by over four lengths as a 3-year-old in his next start at Oaklawn Park.
Owner Edmund Gann and legendary five-time Eclipse Award-winning trainer Bobby Frankel took notice, and he was sold privately to those connections following his sophomore debut.
Bobby Frankel | Image courtesy of Americas Best Racing
Medaglia d'Oro's first start under the new ownership was a winning one as he made his stakes debut in the G2 San Felipe Stakes. After a second place finish in the G1 Wood Memorial Stakes, he ran fourth in the G1 Kentucky Derby at odds of 6-1 in a field that included winner War Emblem (USA), as well as Proud Citizen (USA), Harlan's Holiday (USA), and Johannesburg (USA). He ran unplaced in the G1 Preakness Stakes, and then finished a close second to longshot Sarava (USA) in the G1 Belmont Stakes.
After a winless Triple Crown season, Medaglia d'Oro claimed a pair of Graded stakes wins at Saratoga in the G2 Jim Dandy Stakes – by 13.75 lengths – and the G1 Travers Stakes following a memorable stretch tussle with Repent (USA) under Hall of Fame jockey Jerry Bailey. The sophomore's season ended with a second-place finish in the G1 Breeders' Cup Classic behind another long-odds winner in Volponi (USA).
After a freshening, the colt began his 4-year-old season with three consecutive victories in the G2 Strub Stakes, the G2 Oaklawn Handicap, and the G1 Whiney Handicap, this time beating rival Volponi and remaining undefeated at Saratoga.
He then ran second in his next two starts in the G1 Pacific Classic Stakes behind Candy Ride (Arg), followed by the G1 Breeders' Cup Classic, this time behind a new rival in Pleasantly Perfect (USA).
Medaglia d'Oro returned to the track at five, claiming one more Grade 1 in the Donn Handicap and then crossing the globe to run second to Pleasantly Perfect in the G1 Dubai World Cup.
Although he never ended up with a championship title on the racetrack, Medaglia d'Oro retired with a record of 8-7-0 from 17 starts and earnings of US$5,754,720 (AU$8.2 million) as a seven-time Graded stakes winner. He earned 13 triple-digit Beyer Speed Figures, including a 120 Beyer top for his victory in the Jim Dandy Stakes as a sophomore.
A remarkably fast start at stud
The three-time Grade 1 winner was retired to Hill 'n' Dale Farm as the property of Audrey Haisfeld's Never Tell Farm. Two years later, he was moved to Haisfield's Stonewall Stallions. He stood his first season at stud for US$35,000 (AU$50,300), entering the same year as several other influential stallions in Tapit (USA), Candy Ride, and Speightstown (USA).
“The people that bought him and the guy that owned him felt he had done plenty,” agent Mark Reid, who purchased the horse for Gann in 2002 and assisted in brokering his breeding rights, said in an interview with Daily Racing Form upon the horse's retirement in June, 2004.
“After all those Grade 1s and going undefeated at Saratoga, they felt he had done enough. He was a real nice horse. He reminded me of Smarty Jones in one way: he didn't need to carry his racetrack with him. He beat them at Santa Anita, Gulfstream, Oaklawn, and he killed them at Saratoga.”
Mark Reid with Bobby Frankel | Image courtesy of The Racing Biz
Medaglia d'Oro's first crop of yearlings sold for nearly quadruple their stud fee, averaging US$117,354 (AU$168,000). The group included four eventual Grade 1 winners in C.S Silk (USA), Warrior's Reward (USA), Gabby's Golden Gal (USA) and, of course, Rachel Alexandra (USA).
Rachel Alexandra was the first foal out of the stakes-winning mare Lotta Kim (USA) (Roar {USA}). An undefeated 3-year-old season that included five Grade 1 wins earned her two Eclipse awards for Champion 3-year-old filly and 2009 Horse of the Year.
Her victory in the G1 Preakness Stakes just 15 days after the Oaks–following a private acquisition from her owner and breeder Dolphus Morrison by a group including Stonestreet Stables–made her the first filly to win both the Kentucky Oaks and the Preakness Stakes, her 116 Beyer Figure in the G1 Haskell would be the highest recorded figure in North America that year and she was the first filly to ever win the G1 Woodward Stakes.
Rachel Alexandra retired as a 4-year-old with nine Graded stakes victories and without finishing worse than second in any of her 19 starts aside from her debut as a juvenile.
“As a 3-year-old, she set standards and records that no filly before her ever achieved,” Stonestreet's late founder Jess Jackson told the TDN on September 29, 2010 following the announcement of her retirement. “I suspect it will be quite a while before a 3-year-old filly ever equals or surpasses her achievements.”
Jess Jackson | Image courtesy of Jackson Family Wines
Not long after his first-crop star brought down the house at Pimlico in her dramatic Preakness victory, Medaglia d'Oro was purchased for an undisclosed price by Sheikh Mohammed's Darley Stud and moved to Jonabell Farm, where he stood in partnership with Colts Neck Stallions. His 2009 stud fee of US$60,000 (AU$86,200) was bumped up to US$100,000 (AU$144,000), despite it being a year of great economic uncertainty.
“Sheikh Mohammed believes that Medaglia d'Oro has a very exciting future ahead of him.” Darley bloodstock advisor John Ferguson told TDN on June 6, 2009 when the purchase was made public.
His Australian years highlighted by Golden Sixty
Starting in 2010, he was shuttled regularly to Australia for the Southern Hemisphere breeding season. He shuttled for eight seasons, concluding in 2017.
“He was a big scopey, American dirt horse who just worked in both hemispheres on both surfaces. He was a terrific racehorse himself and went on to be a real high-class stallion,” Pulford told TTR.
“His name lives on in the pedigrees of many of our broodmares. We've got a really good list of them and are very happy because they're very easy to mate. They cross well with Street Boss, Exceed And Excel, they cross well with a host of our other stallions.
“His (Medaglia d'Oro) name lives on in the pedigrees of many of our broodmares. We've got a really good list of them and are very happy because they're very easy to mate.” - Alastair Pulford
“It is very handy to have. He's the sire of the dam of Bangkok Hottie, who we didn't breed, but is by (Darley sire) Too Darn Hot, and she’s probably one of the best 3-year-old fillies going around this year.”
Bangkok Hottie | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
Bangkok Hottie (Too Darn Hot {GB}) has won four of her eight starts including the G2 Furious Stakes and G2 Tea Rose Stakes and was third last start in the G1 Flight Stakes. She’s out of Bangkok (Medaglia D’Oro {USA}) who placed in the G2 Sapphire Stakes.
“Because of their size and scope, you can have confidence in his mares. The neater Danehill-line and Mr Prospector-line sires seem to suit his mares really well.”
His Australian-bred progeny include G1 Golden Slipper winner Vancouver, sire of Overpass, G1 Golden Rose winner and sire Astern, G1 New Zealand Derby winner Crown Prosecutor, G1 Thousand Guineas winner Flit, and of course the mighty Golden Sixty.
Golden Sixty | Image courtesy of the Hong Kong Jockey Club
Golden Sixty’s earnings of HK$167.17 million (AU$30.98 million) make him the third highest Hong Kong earner of all time after Romantic Warrior (Ire) (Acclamation {GB}), who retired with world record prizemoney of HK$288,745,697 (AU$53.3 million), and Ka Ying Rising (NZ) (Shamexpress {NZ}) whose Everest second took him to HK$176.7 million (AU$32.7 million).
Golden Sixty’s 26 victories included 10 at Group 1 level including the G1 Hong Kong Mile three times, the G1 Champions Mile three times, and both the G1 Steward’s Cup and G1 Hong Kong Gold Cup twice each.
A dual hemisphere stud career for the record books
In his next three crops, sired while still under the ownership of Haisfeld, Medaglia d'Oro produced four more Grade 1 winners including Kentucky Oaks heroine and millionaire Plum Pretty (USA), and seven-time Graded stakes winner Marketing Mix (USA).
By the time he was transferred to the Darley stud barn, his fifth crop of yearlings, foaled in 2010, were averaging nearly US$200,000 (AU$287,000). That same crop included four more Grade 1 winners, including eventual sires Violence (USA) and Mshawish (USA).
Two years later, he produced another eventual sire in the Australian Group 1 Golden Slipper Stakes winner Vancouver, followed by the Godolphin-raced G1 Breeders' Cup Turf champion and multi-millionaire Talismanic (GB) and record-breaking Group 1 winner Astern in 2013.
Talismanic (GB) | Standing at Darley, Japan
In the same year, he also sired his newest superstar filly, Songbird (USA).
Out of the Grade 2 winner Ivanavinalot (USA) (West Acre {USA}), Songbird broke her maiden on debut by over six lengths for trainer Jerry Hollendorfer, earning 'TDN Rising Star' status in her first start. She was named champion 2-year-old filly after claiming three consecutive Grade 1 races including the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies. As a sophomore, she took seven consecutive Graded stakes including four Grade 1 races, earning a second Eclipse Award as a champion 3-year-old filly.
After adding two additional Grade 1 races at four, Songbird retired in 2017 with nine Grade 1s to her credit, never finishing below second place in her 15 starts. She sold to Mandy Pope's Whisper Hill Farm at the Fasig-Tipton Fall Mixed Sale for a jaw-dropping US$9.5 million (AU$13.7 million).
In his following three years at stud, Medaglia d'Oro added seven more Grade 1 winners to his credit including a pair of millionaire fillies in 2014–'Rising Star' Elate (USA) and New Money Honey (USA).
Three Grade 1-winning colts followed the next year, including Spendthrift sire Bolt d'Oro (USA). He saw additional success from his 2015 crop with Canadian Horse of the Year Wonder Gadot (USA) , as well as two-time Graded stakes winner Enticed (USA), who would join his sire in the stud barn at Darley America in 2020.
Enticed | Image courtesy of Darley
Medaglia d'Oro made his mark as a sire of outstanding female racehorses early on, when after three years at stud, six of his first eight Grade 1 winners were fillies. In his first 10 crops, 12 of his 23 Grade 1 winners were fillies, including Songbird, Rachel Alexandra and Elate.
As of October 2026, his tally had risen to 31 elite-level winners and of his 26 individual millionaire progeny worldwide, 13 are fillies and mares.
Additionally, the Darley flag-bearer made a name for himself as a quality broodmare sire, thus far producing 68 Group/Graded winners including 13 Group/Grade 1 horses in Rock Fall (USA) (Speightstown {USA}); Competitionofideas (USA) (Speightstown {USA}); Rachel's Valentina (USA) (Bernardini {USA}), the daughter of champion Rachel Alexandra; National Treasure (USA) (Quality Road {USA}); Santin (USA) (Distorted Humor {USA}); Olympiad (USA) (Speightstown {USA}); Apocalyptic (Extreme Choice); Be Your Best (Ire) (Muhaarar {GB}); Seismic Beauty (USA) (Uncle Mo {USA}); Campione D'Italia (Snitzel); Marketsegmentation (USA) (American Pharoah {USA}); Prince of Monaco (USA) (Speightstown {USA}); and Goldrush Guru (American Pharoah {USA}).
In addition to the five G1 winners by Speightstown, he also claims the Graded stakes-winning 'Rising Star' Strike Power (USA) (Speightstown {USA}) as a broodmare sire, and Seattle superstar Barkley (USA), a stakes winner by Speightstown's son Munnings (USA). Other noteworthy Group/Graded stakes runners produced by his daughters include the likes of First Mission (USA) (Street Sense {USA}); Arrest Me Red (USA) (Pioneerof the Nile {USA}); I Am Me (I Am Invincible); Yuugiri (USA) (Shackleford {USA}); Wit (USA) (Practical Joke {USA}); Scalding (USA) (Nyquist {USA}); and Stellify (USA) (Justify {USA}).
Medaglia d'Oro enjoyed a historical two-year stretch when, in 2017, he was represented by seven individual Grade 1 winners, and then the next year in the sales ring, eight yearlings brought US$1 million (AU$1.4 million) or more.
Darley's Darren Fox told the TDN in 2019, “Medaglia d'Oro showed what he can do on the racetrack and also his prowess in the sales ring, which is really the bullseye for an elite stallion. To be able to get you that top runner, but also that commercial score just earmarks what a special stallion he is and we're obviously very lucky that he stands here at Jonabell Farm.”
Darren Fox | Image courtesy of Fan Duel Racing
To date, Medaglia d'Oro has sired 190 individual stakes winners and 101 Graded winners with his crops earning over US$229 million (AU$329 million) in purses worldwide through October 2026. His most recent North American filly to become a multiple Grade 1 winner was Tam Tam (USA) in the GI Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup at Keeneland and Eclipse Award heroine Nitrogen (USA) also collecting another Grade 1 win this season. The latter is aiming to become her sire's latest Breeders' Cup winner when she takes on the Distaff at Keeneland in late October.
