I couldn't see this has been mentioned anywhere else on the forum.
Courtesy of The Racing Post.
Derby winner Commander In Chief dies aged 17
by Tony Elves
.
COMMANDER IN CHIEF, the Derby winner of 1993, whose career lasted only six races, has died at the age of 17.
Reports from Japan indicated that the son of Dancing Brave sustained an injury when out in the paddock at the Yushun Stallion Station, and was put down on Tuesday.
His career at stud did not reach the heights of his racing exploits, which came to a head at Epsom on June 2, 1993 when, as a 15-2 shot, he stormed home by three and a half lengths under Mick Kinane from Blue Judge, with Blues Traveller a further two and a half lengths back in third.
Victory was far from the expected outcome for trainer Henry Cecil, as he also saddled the odds-on favourite Tenby, who trailed home in tenth under Pat Eddery.
Cecil garnered many plaudits for Commander In Chief's decisive victory as he was a late foal, born on May 18, who had not raced as a two-year-old.
Despite a late start, he won two minor races at Newmarket in the spring of 1993 before announcing his Derby claims with a win at the Dante meeting at York in the Glasgow Conditions Stakes, staying on strongly to beat Needle Gun by a neck.
After Epsom, Commander In Chief came out best in a showdown with French Derby winner Hernando by three-quarters of a length to win the Irish Derby at the Curragh, this time with Eddery in the saddle.
The Khalid Abdullah homebred was to race only once more. Sent to Ascot for the King George and sent off the 7-4 favourite against older horses for the first time, he could finish only third to Opera House and White Muzzle.
Cecil, for whom Commander In Chief was a third Derby win after Slip Anchor in 1985 and Reference Point in 1987, was saddened at the news on Friday.
He said: “I am very sorry to hear of the death of Commander In Chief - he was a good Derby winner.
“He never ran as a two-year-old and to go and win the English Derby and Irish Derby as a three-year-old was quite a feat.
“I know he gave Prince Khalid Abdullah tremendous pleasure being by Dancing Brave who was very unlucky not to win the Derby and out of his great mare Slightly Dangerous who was the dam of the likes of Warning and Yashmak among others.”