Grade 1 winner El Corredor , who carried out his stud career on three continents since 2002, reportedly died June 20 at Çelikoğlu Stud in Turkey, according to the Thoroughbred racing news outlet Yyaris Dergisi. The son of Mr. Greeley was 26.
El Corredor was the first foal out of the unraced Silver Deputy mare Silvery Swan and bred in Kentucky by Needham-Betz Thoroughbreds and Liberation Farm. The mare was a half sister to two stakes winners and later produced grade 1 winner Roman Ruler , grade 3 winner Silver Tornado, and grade 1-placed winner Maimonides . El Corredor sold as a yearling for $110,000 at the 1998 Keeneland September Yearling Sale to trainer Bob Baffert, who bought the colt on behalf of owner Hal Earnhardt III.
The colt became a winner in his second start at 2 and at 3 won four of five starts, getting wins in the Cigar Mile Handicap (G1) and Del Mar Breeders’ Cup Handicap (G2). He would also run second to Fusaichi Pegasus in the Jerome Handicap (G2). At 4, he added two more graded stakes victories with a repeat win in the Del Mar Breeders’ Cup and a win in the Pat O’Brien Handicap (G2). He ended his racing career with an unplaced finish in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint (G1), in which he was hindered by a quarter crack.
El Corredor entered stud at Hill ‘n’ Dale Farms. He was second-ranked by progeny earnings as a freshman sire in 2005 and remained in the top five of his sire class through their second-crop and third-crop seasons. His early stud career included five shuttle trips to Argentina in 2008-2012. The stallion was relocated to Questroyal North in New York for 2013 and then to The Stallion Station @ Copper Crowne in Louisiana for 2014.
Turkish breeder Tevfik Çelikoğlu bought El Corredor in October 2014 in a deal negotiated by David Tillson of Copper Crowne Stallion Station, Marie Yoshida of Winchester Farm near Lexington, and French bloodstock agent Jean-Pierre Deroubaix.
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For his career to date, El Corredor has sired 44 black-type winners that include 13 graded/group winners. His top performers include grade/group 1 winner Adieu , Backseat Rhythm , Dominican , Crisp , and Mecha Corta. He also sired champions in Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic, and Mexican Horse of the Year and champion 3-year-old imported colt El Biologo.
In Turkey, his best runners included locally-recognized group 1-placed, group 3 winner Vahsi Kiz and group 3 winner Romani Kalibre.
El Corredor’s progeny won nearly 2,200 races and earned more than US$46.7 million.