Altamont, IL — Sagebrush, 24, the 2016 Illinois Pacing Stallion of the Year, died Oct. 24 at his longtime home at the University of Illinois Horse Farm, in Urbana, Ill.

Taking a record of 1:49 at the Meadowlands as an older pacer and earning $646,000 lifetime, Sagebrush stood 18 seasons in Illinois, the last 12 of which were at the state’s flagship university.

“He was an excellent sire, but it went beyond that,” said Dr. Kevin H. Kline, who worked with Sagebrush throughout his stallion career. “He was ideal for classes and was a wonderful horse for the students to handle, and this was true for both the College of Veterinary Medicine and the Animal Sciences Department. He was a wonderful ambassador for the breed.”

A son of Western Hanover, Sagebrush has sired 61 in 1:55 and the winners of $8.8 million from 256 foals of racing age. His progeny include former Illinois Horse of the Year Princess Sage, p,3,1:52 ($120,855), and Double Parked, who took a record earlier this year at the DuQuoin State Fair of 1:50.1.

Staff members at the University of Illinois Horse Farm and consulting veterinarians made the decision to humanely euthanize Sagebrush due to infirmities associated with the horse’s advanced age.