Medaglia d’Oro: key obituary facts
Is Medaglia d’Oro dead? Yes. Medaglia d’Oro died on October 16, 2026, at age 27.
Cause of death: Medaglia d’Oro's cause of death has not been publicly confirmed.
What was Medaglia d’Oro known for?
He was an American racehorse.
More about Medaglia d’Oro
Born: 1999.
Gender: male organism.
Father: El Prado.
Children: Rachel Alexandra, Payton d'Oro, Songbird, Talismanic, Golden Sixty, Good Cheer.
Medaglia d’Oro, an American Thoroughbred racehorse, died October 16, 2026, aged 27.
A dark bay or brown stallion marked with a white star and three white socks, he was bred by Albert and Joyce Bell of Great Falls, Montana, and foaled at Katalpa Farm in Paris, Kentucky. His sire was El Prado, Ireland’s 1991 champion 2-year-old, whose own sire was Sadler’s Wells.
As a yearling in 2000, Medaglia d’Oro went to an Arizona ranch, where Raland Ayers oversaw his early preparation for racing. On the track, he won the 2002 Travers Stakes and the 2003 Whitney Handicap, establishing a record across several major stakes races. He was runner-up in the 2002 Belmont Stakes and finished second in the Breeders’ Cup Classic in both 2002 and 2003; he also placed second in the 2004 Dubai World Cup. After retiring from racing, he stood at stud and became the sire of notable horses including Rachel Alexandra, the 2009 Horse of the Year; two-time champion filly Songbird; and Golden Sixty, a three-time Hong Kong Horse of the Year. His other progeny included Payton d’Oro, Talismanic and Good Cheer, extending his influence across racing in the United States and internationally.