Odds On Racing - Harness Racing

Artsplace: A Champion is Gone

October 30, 2006

Artsplace, a champion pacing sire and racehorse, was euthanized Monday morning, October 30th at the University of Pennsylvania’s large animal hospital, New Bolton Center, in Kennett Square, Pennsylvania, at the age of 18. The decision was made to euthanize the horse because of persistent, irreversible laminitis, a painful hoof condition.

Harness racing’s 1992 Horse of the Year thanks to a perfect 16-for-16 season, Artsplace is also among the leading sires in the history of the sport. He won more than $3 million in a three-year career and took a mark of 1:49.2 at age four, which was the fastest Standardbred race mile ever at the time. Overall, he won 37 of 49 career starts for trainer Gene Riegle and as a four-year-old for trainer Bob McIntosh.

His progeny have won more than $114 million to date; 15 of his sons and daughters have earned more than a million on the racetrack and 487 have gone in 1:55 or faster.

Artsplace served his entire stallion career at Southwind Farm, in Pennington, New Jersey; his most recent stud fee was $12,500. Artsplace had been battling laminitis since late August and was under the treatment of Dr. Andrew van Epps. Laminitis causes inflammation of the horse’s hoof and is related to changes in blood flow through the capillaries of the foot.

He was owned throughout his racing career by breeder George Segal and the late Brian Monieson. At the time of his death, he was owned by a syndicate. He had been hospitalized at New Bolton since late September.

Artsplace’s ashes will be returned to Southwind Farm, to his longtime caretaker Charlie Williams and to Brittany Farms in Versailles, Kentucky, where he was bred, born and raised.
Artsplace’s career totals

Year Starts Wins/Seconds/Thirds Earnings   Mark
1992      16      16       0         0       $932,325      1:49.2
1991      18      10        4         1        $972,487      1:50.4
1990      15      11        3         0       $1,180,271   1:51.1
Total      49      37        7          1       $3,085,083