Rockridge stallion Combatant dies in Chile

Combatant, winner of the Grade 1 Santa Anita Handicap and a popular stallion in his first season at Rockridge Stud in Hudson, died suddenly from colic in Chile according to reports Monday.

The 7-year-old son of Scat Daddy had just started Southern Hemisphere duties at Haras Porta Pia. Combatant stood his first season for $7,500 LFSN and bred 85 mares in his initial book.

“We are deeply saddened by this loss, for both the syndicate and for New York,” said Erin Robinson, stallion director at Rockridge Stud.

The former Hronis Racing-owned Combatant was sold to Brian Levings of Levings Racing to stand at Rockridge in a deal brokered by Matt Bowling of Bowling Bloodstock, Colt Pike and David Ingordo.

Bred by Paget Bloodstock and originally sold as a yearling for $320,000 at the 2016 Keeneland September sale, Combatant broke his maiden in his second start and finished second in the Remington Springboard Mile Stakes to end his 2-year-old season. He placed in back-to-back stakes at Oaklawn Park and finished fourth in the Grade 1 Arkansas Derby to earn a spot in the Kentucky Derby field. Combatant later placed in two stakes as a 3-year-old and then sold as a racing and stallion prospect at the 2019 Keeneland November sale.

Combatant competed exclusively in stakes company for trainer John Sadler after being purchased by Hronis Racing, winning the 2020 Big Cap over a field that included Midcourt, Endorsed and Hofburg, after a third in the Grade 2 San Pasqual to open his 4-year-old campaign. He also placed in two other graded stakes that season before retiring with a record of 4-5-6 in 30 starts and earnings of $1,062,915.

Source URL: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/2022/08/22/rockridge-stallion-combatant-dies-in-chile/

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