Sunny's Halo

Sunny's Halo

Sunny's Halo, racehorse (b at Oshawa, Ont 11 Feb 1980; d at Bullard, Texas 3 June 2003). Sired by Halo out of Mostly Sunny, he was only the second Canadian-owned and -bred thoroughbred to win the Kentucky Derby (after Northern Dancer). Owned by D.J. "Pud" Foster of Toronto and trained by David Cross of Mississauga, Ont, the handsome chestnut colt was the 1982 Canadian 2-year-old champion, winning 7 of 11 races, including the Coronation Futurity. After winning the Arkansas Derby in 1983, he was one of the favourites for the 109th Kentucky Derby, which, on 7 May 1983, he won by 2 lengths. A mysterious rash and a sore ankle may have contributed to his poor performances at the Preakness and Arlington Classic. He was last raced on 16 Oct 1983 and then was retired to stud for a syndicated $7.5 million, remaining at Double S Thoroughbred Farms in Bullard, Texas, until his death in 2003. In all he won 9 of his 20 races and over $1 million in purses.

Sunny's Halo's offspring continue to win races, and have amassed a total of more than $28 million in earnings. In 2006 Sunny's Halo was re-interred at the Kentucky Derby Museum at Churchill Downs, the site of his greatest win.