from the USTA Communications Department

Columbus, OH — Trainer Doug McIntosh is reporting on his Facebook page that his 2000 Hambletonian champion Yankee Paco has been euthanized at the age of 15.

USTA/Ed Keys photo

Yankee Paco was the 2000 Dan Patch Award winner as the sport’s top 3-year-old trotting colt.

“Sad day here at the McIntosh Farm,” wrote the trainer. “Received a call from David James in Australia that my ole buddy Yankee Paco had to be euthanized. Paco had a deteriorating joint problem that had been causing problems for some time. Yankee Paco was a warrior on the racetrack, winning most of his 3-year-old stakes events. Highlight was the prestigious Hambletonian in 2000. The winner of over $1.4 million spent his last years at Empire Stud at Avenel, Victoria, Australia. This big red horse brought pride and pleasure to all his connections. RIP big guy!”

Yankee Paco won 14 times in 25 lifetime starts, with career earnings of $1,486,197. He set his lifetime mark of 1:53.2 in defeating Credit Winner by three-quarters of a length in the Hambletonian final for regular driver Trevor Ritchie and owners Tom and Harry Ivey.

In his sophomore campaign, the son of Balanced Image-Yankee Playgirl also won the Canadian Trotting Classic, the Ontario Sires Stakes Super final and the American-National.

He was named the 2000 Dan Patch Award winner as the sport’s top 3-year-old trotting colt.

Yankee Paco spent six years as a stallion in Ontario, with his offspring earning nearly $7 million.