Orville Clarke, Freelance Writer

A KING IS BORN (Winston Griffiths) is led in by stable connections after his impressive victory in the Chairman's Trophy feature over 1500 metres at Caymanas Park, on Saturday, June 18, 2005. It was win No. 18 in his illustrious career. - file

The 2003 'Horse of the Year' A KING IS BORN died on Friday afternoon at the stables of 14-time champion trainer Philip Feanny after failing to recover from a leg injury sustained at exercise on the morning of Wednesday, November 1.

A KING IS BORN had been undergoing preparation for the November 11 Red Stripe Caribbean Sprint when he fractured the sesamoid bone in his left foreleg and had to be retired for the second time in his career.

However, according to his owner Howard Hamilton, A KING IS BORN was not responding to treatment as the leg was so bad that he couldn't move. As a result, he had to be euthanised.

"I cried like a baby", declared Hamilton. "This was a horse who gave me immense pleasure. I won my first Derby with him in 2003 and my first 'Horse of the Year' award as well, not to mention the Sprint Championship in 2005.

"So you can understand how I felt at losing him... He was a hellava horse," added the popular owner.

A KING IS BORN also won the 2000 Guineas and the 2004 Gold Cup, among other important races.

Memorable defeat

However, his most memorable defeat came in July 2003. Bidding for the coveted Triple Crown, the chestnut colt by Royal Minister out of the 1990 Derby winner Distinctly Native was caught close home by his lesser fancied stable-companion HERECOMESFUDGIE in the mile and quarter Jamaica St. Leger.

After finishing third to the American colt CLOCK WORK in the 2005 Gold Cup, A KING IS BORN was retired to stud. However, he failed to make an impact as a stallion and a decision was taken to resume his racing career some months ago. But this was not to be as 11 days prior to the Caribbean Sprint, he broke down at exercise.

Undoubtedly one of the best native bred sprinters ever to grace the Caymanas turf, A KING IS BORN with customary jockey Winston Griffiths aboard had a fabulous racing record, despite the fact that later in his career he had not remained the soundest of horses.

He won 21 races from only 27 starts lifetime with total stakes of $12.1 million.

Hamilton disclosed that A KING IS BORN was cremated. Significantly, this marked the sixth horse that Feanny was losing in recent months, following the untimely deaths of his outstanding sprinter QUIET STRENGTH, as well as KINGSTONIAN, FIRE WORKS, MINISTER ON FIRE and LAW LORD.