Mor Spirit Dies Due to Colic in South Korea at 13

Less than two months after being exported to South Korea, fifth-crop sire Mor Spirit reportedly died Jan. 2, according to Korea Racing Authority studbook records. The son of Eskendereya was 13. While KRA does not report the cause of death, an international bloodstock agent familiar with the stallion's situation and who asked not to be identified said the stallion died from colic. This latest bout of colic was reportedly the second for the stallion since he arrived in Korea Nov. 11. Mor Spirit had been acquired by the Korea Thoroughbred Breeders' Association that stands its stallions at Jeju Island. The Elkstone Group bred Mor Spirit in Pennsylvania out of the graded-placed stakes winner Im a Dixie Girl (Dixie Union), whose immediate family includes 2015 champion 3-year-old filly Stellar Wind, grade 1 winner and sire Great Hunter, and grade 1-placed, grade 3 winner Owendale. Bernard Schiappa and Michael Lund Petersen bought Mor Spirit at 2 for $650,000 during Fasig-Tipton's 2015 The Gulfstream Sale out of the Wavertree Stables consignment. He became a grade 1 winner at 2 for Petersen and trainer Bob Baffert after winning the Los Alamitos Futurity (G1). Mor Spirit raced from 2 to 4 and was first or second in eight graded stakes, which included other wins in the 2017 Metropolitan Handicap (G1), 2016 Robert B. Lewis Stakes (G3), and 2017 Steve Sexton Mile Stakes (G3). He also ran second in the 2016 Santa Anita Derby (G1). Mor Spirit was retired with a 6-5-0 record from 14 starts and earned $1,668,400. As a stallion, Mor Spirit entered stud in 2019 at Spendthrift Farm near Lexington, where he stood for five seasons before being relocated to Swifty Farms in Indiana for two seasons. His first crop included multiple stakes winner Velocitor, who won the 2022 Coronation Futurity at 2 at Woodbine and at 3 won the Canadian classic Prince of Wales Stakes at Fort Erie. He ranked among the top 15 by progeny earnings as a freshman sire and ranked 16th as a second-crop sire. Mor Spirit's top performer, his gelded son Chancheng Glory, has been a star racing in Hong Kong and Korea. He won last year's Centenary Vase Handicap (G3) at Sha Tin in Hong Kong. He also ran second in the Korea Cup (G3) and was third in the Hong Kong Gold Cup (G1) in 2025. To date, Chancheng Glory has earned more than $3 million. Other stakes winners sired by Mor Spirit include Mor Victory, Liberal Lady, Mor Force, and Como Tu. To date, Mor Spirit's runners have won 423 races and earned $14,819,724 worldwide.