King of Kings Dead

King of Kings (Ire) (Sadler’s Wells–Zummerudd {GB}, by Habitat), who provided trainer Aidan O’Brien with his first British Classic victory in the 1998 G1 2000 Guineas, has died at age 20 of heart failure in South Africa, according to Racing Post. 

Raced by Sue Magnier, King of Kings was beaten just once in five juvenile outings, taking the Railway S., Tyros S. and G1 National S. at The Curragh. King of Kings won the Guineas in his first sophomore outing the following May, and was seen only once thereafter, when last of 15 in the G1 Epsom Derby. 
King of Kings served at Coolmore’s Irish and U.S. bases and later stood at Ashwell Stud in New Zealand before relocating to The Fort Stud in South Africa. King of Kings’s progeny include New Zealand Horse of the Year King’s Chapel (Aus) and Australian Group 1 winners Ike’s Dream (Aus) and Reigning to Win (Aus), as well as the 2004 GII San Clemente winner Sweet Win. 

Jill Fox, the owner of The Fort Stud, told Racing Post yesterday, “He passed away two nights ago and I was very privileged to have had a horse like him in my care. He was super intelligent and loved his work when covering mares. The main thing about him was his intelligence. He was the most lovely horse. He got some more mares in foal last year so we have a few more babies to come and he always produces horses with lovely minds.”