by Peter Wharton

Die Laughing, a former world champion racehorse, and a 1:50 sire and broodmare sire, has been retired from stud duties and will live out his days in a paddock at Riverbank Farm, Benalla in north-east Victoria.

The 21-year-old stallion had stood the past four seasons at the Mountainview Stud, of Shane Murphy, Dunnstown. Prior to that he shuttled from his North American base to the Grubb family’s Sutton Lodge, Sutton, just outside Canberra.

One of only a few horses to win a million dollars at both 2 and 3, Die Laughing was one of the top colt pacers of the early 1990s. He won 15 of his 27 lifetime starts and $2,164,386, capturing such important races as the Woodrow Wilson, Messenger Stakes, Prix d’Ete, Niatross and New Jersey Classic.

In winning the $1 million Woodrow Wilson, Die Laughing equalled the world 2-year-old record of 1:52.1 with the final quarter in :26 seconds. He lowered his lifetime mark to 1:51.1 in the $475,000 Messenger at Rosecroft.

Die Laughing matched his greatness as a racehorse in the siring field, and now his sons and daughters are achieving distinction of the same order. His second richest offspring, Live Or Die, has been a leading sire in New Zealand for several years.

In 10 seasons at stud in North America, Die Laughing averaged an amazing $3.2 million in earnings per crop. He sired three in the 1:50 list and 136 in 1:55. His progeny earned $32,305,486 — an average of $48,800 per starter!

Die Laughing’s daughters have produced the winners of $31 million with four in 1:50 and 166 in 1:55.

In Australia, Die Laughing has sired 93 individual winners and they have won in excess of $2 million. Die Wondering, a NSW Sires Stakes champion, the multiple cups winner Live To Laugh, Whywasntitold and Mindlikea Diamond 1:53.6 (WA Spring Championship) have been Australian winners from Die Laughing’s first crops.