Commendable, the winner of the 2000 Belmont Stakes, has passed away at Stud in Korea after suffering a colic.
Commendable 1997-2014 (KRA)
A $575,000 purchase as a yearling, Commendable[Gone West – Bought Twice (In Reality)] won his debut race at Del Mar on August 14, 1999 but despite being identified by his trainer D. Wayne Lukas as being Triple Crown contender, he endured a disappointing start to his 3-year-old career.
Commendable managed to get into the Kentucky Derby but finished 17th of 19 under Edgar Prado as Fusaichi Pegasus took the 126th Run For The Roses.
Commendable didn’t run in the Preakness a fortnight later where Fusaichi Pegasus was defeated by Red Bullet and without a Triple Crown on the line – and Red Bullet skipping the race too – he returned to take his chance in the Belmont on a hot day in New York City in June 2000.
Hitting the front as they turned for home, 18-1 shot Commendable under jockey Pat Day, held off favourite Aptitude to win the final leg of the Triple Crown by just over a length.
That Del Mar debut and the Belmont proved to be his only wins in a 12-race career as Commendable was retired after finishing 2nd to Tiznow in the Super Derby at Louisiana Downs in September of 2000.
After a short stallion carrer in the US, Commendable was brought to Korea in March 2005. He stood at the KRA’s Jeju Stud Farm until 2011 before moving to the new farm on the mainland at Jangsu. While not a sire of Champions, he consistently got winners and was covering mares up until he fell ill.
A two-year-old colt of his out of the Champion Korean racemare Luna is expected to make his debut later this year.
Here’s his Belmont Stakes win:
And his KRA appearance video:
Commendable died on April 10th at the Korea Racing Authority’s Jangsu Stud Farm in Jeolla Province. The official cause of death is listed as “strangulation of small intestine.”
Horse Racing in Korea 