test

SARGA.CO - Bayern, winner of the 2014 Breeders' Cup Classic, has died at the age of 15 following complications from emergency hernia surgery. The accomplished racehorse and successful stallion passed away on 5 July at Great Hill Farm in South Korea.

According to the farm, he had a developed a sudden hernia that necessitated the operation, and although he initially survived, he later suffered severe colitis, Despite intensive veterinary care, his condition failed to improve, and the difficult decision was made to humanely euthanise him.

Bred in Kentucky by Helen Alexander, and named after the German football team FC Bayern Munich, the horse was a son of Offlee Wild out of the Thunder Gulch mare Alittlebitearly. Purchased for $320,000 at the 2013 Fasig-Tipton Midlantic Two-Year-Olds in Training Sale, he raced for owner Kaleem Shah under Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert.

Although he missed the Kentucky Derby, Bayern emerged as one of America's leading three-year-olds in 2014. He captured the G2 Woody Stephens Stakes before stretching out to win the Haskell Invitational and the Pennsylvania Derby, establishing himself as a genuine G1contender for the Breeders' Cup Classic at Santa Anita. There, he produced one of the most controversial outcomes in the race’s history.

Breaking sharply from the gates under Martin Garcia, Bayern veered left shortly after the start, making contact with champion Shared Belief and triggering a chain reaction among several rivals. With Bayern staving off Toast of New York by a nose and California Chrome by another neck to secure the top prize, the result was allowed to stand after a lengthy stewards’ inquiry.

The Breeders' Cup Classic proved to be the final victory of his racing career, as he retired the next year with 6 wins from 15 starts, and earnings exceeding $4.45 million.

Bayern began his stallion career at Hill 'n' Dale Farms in Kentucky before being purchased by Great Hill Farm to help establish its breeding operation in South Korea ahead of the 2022 season.

Across seven crops of racing age, he sired 174 winners whose combined earnings surpassed $20 million. His best progeny includes G1 winner Speed Boat Beach, Canadian champion female sprinter Hazelbrook, G2 winner Leggs Galore, and G3 winner Biddy Duke.

His influence also extended to Korea through champion Raon The Fighter, who was crowned the country's Champion Miler in 2022 and Champion Sprinter in 2023, further bolsteringBayern's reputation as an international sire.

When announcing his passing, Great Hill Farm paid tribute to the stallion's courage and lasting legacy.

"We fought alongside him day and night, exhausting every possible medical intervention and providing intensive care in a desperate struggle to save his life," the farm said in a statement. “Heartbreakingly, his condition did not improve, and we were ultimately left with no choice but to make the agonizing decision to euthanize him.”

The farm added: "His extraordinary presence, his gentle eyes, and the magnificent, overwhelming power of his stride on the track can never, ever be replaced by any other horse. We hold onto the hope that his outstanding progeny will carry on their father's fierce bloodline and grow to be just as brilliant."

While Bayern's Breeders' Cup Classic win remains one of the most debated finishes in modern horse racing history, there is no question about his impact on the sport.

From outpacing a strong generation that includes California Chrome and Shared Belief, to producing top-class runners on two continents, Bayern leaves behind a victorious legacy that extends far beyond a single race.