Brilliant Speed Struck by Lightning

Grade I-winning freshman sire Brilliant Speed (Dynaformer–Speed Succeeds, by Gone West) was struck by lightning during a flash storm and died on the morning of July 14 at Three Chimneys Farm. He was eight years old. “Brilliant Speed was a class horse in the image of his great sire Dynaformer,” Three Chimneys COO Chris Baker said. “It is a sad and shocking loss and he will be missed by all.” Trained by Tom Albertrani on behalf of Charlotte Weber's Live Oak, Brilliant Speed was a 19-1 upset winner by a nose in the 2011 GI Blue Grass S. Third in the GI Belmont S. on the dirt, he took the grassy GIII Saranac S. later that term, and was third in the GI Breeders' Cup Turf. The dark bay earned in excess of $1.2 million on the track. He was a half to SW and GSP Souper Speedy (Indian Charlie); an unraced 3-year-old half-brother named Karma Delight (Medaglia d'Oro) who sold for $400,000 at last year's Fasig-Tipton Midlantic sale and is currently working at Fair Hill; an unraced 2-year-old Street Cry (Ire) colt who brought $250,000 at Keeneland September; and a Medaglia d'Oro colt born this spring. Souper Speedy hailed from the family of Canadian champion Seranading and GI Belmont S. winner Touch Gold. Brilliant Speed is represented by 27 juveniles in his first crop.