Legendary European stallion Viking Kronos, 28, has died.

After a relatively short but impressive racing career, Viking Kronos became one of Europe’s most significant breeding stallions in modern times. In fact, by some, Viking Kronos is characterized as Europe’s answer to Valley Victory as the creator of the modern trotter.

Lutfi Kolgjini bought Viking Kronos as a yearling for SEK360,000, and it was the horse that, so to speak, made Kolgjini a great trainer.

Viking Kronos and Kolgjini went undefeated through the 3-year-old season and won his first three starts as a 4-year-old before he was surprisingly beaten in the Premio Etrura on the track in Florence by Vanita As (Indro Park) with Giancarlo Baldi. However, Viking Kronos came back the following month in Milan, where he won the Gran Premio Nazionale followed by Varenne.

Back in Sweden, Viking Kronos won both trials and finals for E3 before a trip to Italy again for the Derby Italiano del Trotto, where Varenne won and Viking Kronos disappointingly finished fourth.

It was the last start for Viking Kronos in his career. He finished with 14 starts, 12 wins, SEK6.1 million and a mark of 1:56.1f.

The following year, Viking Kronos went to stud and in his first crop he sired Thai Tanic 1:52.2f (SEK9.7 million). The very best offspring to Viking Kronos has been Maharajah 1:53.1f (SEK24.4 million), who after a great racing career, has become equally successful at stud and today is the leading stallion in Sweden.

Triton Sund, Raja Mirchi, Joke Face, Going Kronos, Yield Boko, Turbo Sund, and Mellby Viking are other sons carrying on the Viking Kronos blood.

And as grandsire, Viking Kronos has also left his mark on the trotting breed. He is the grandfather of Readly Express, The Bank, Nesta Effe, Attraversiamo, Heavy Sound, Cash Gamble and others.