American grade 1 winner and expatriate stallion Cuvee has died at 22 due to complications from chronic heart disease, the Turkish horse racing website Yaris Dergisi reported Nov. 17.
Cuvee, a son of Carson City and a homebred for Verne Winchell, won his racing debut in May of his 2-year-old year and became a graded stakes winner in his second start, when he won the Kentucky Breeders' Cup Stakes (G3). He would go on to win the Futurity Stakes (G1) at Belmont Park. He had a limited campaign at 3 and was retired to Spendthrift Farm with 4-2-1 record from nine starts and earnings of $402,044.
He made a respectable start at stud in a highly competitive sire class that includes Tapit , Medaglia d'Oro , Speightstown, and Candy Ride . He ranked in the top 12 as a freshman sire in 2008 and in the top 10 as a second-year sire. Cuvee's best North American runner was 2009 Breeders' Futurity (G1) winner and millionaire Noble's Promise. Still the stallion would be sold to the Turkish Jockey Club in 2009.
Cuvee would sire 2021 Turkish champion miler Spencer, winner of the Ankara Kalesi; and Turkish group winners Es Es Runner and Bal Arisi. His progeny has collectively earned more than $15.7 million. The sire has a building reputation as a broodmare sire, too, with top performers such as Turkish group 2 winner Lega Lady out of Cuvee's daughter Lega Nord.
