One of the true turf greats dies at 26
 

He was one of my favorites.. From BRIS:

The outstanding turf horse MANILA (Lyphard), who was enshrined in the National Museum of Racing's Hall of Fame last August, has died in Turkey at the age of 26. According to the website of the Turkish Jockey Club, the bay stallion succumbed Saturday after suffering an aortic rupture.

Trained throughout his career by Leroy Jolley, Manila compiled a sparkling record of 12 wins and five runner-up efforts from 18 starts, with a bankroll of $2,692,799. His lone unplaced effort came on his career debut in a six-furlong sprint at Saratoga as a juvenile.

Manila initially raced for his breeder, Eduardo M. Cojuangco Jr. After failing to win in his first three starts on dirt, he was sold to Bradley "Mike" Shannon, for whom he would achieve stardom.

In his first outing for his new owner, Manila romped by eight lengths in an off-the-turf maiden at old Hialeah. He finally got the opportunity to race on the grass next time out in a Keeneland allowance, rolling to a 7 1/4-length victory. Manila stepped up into stakes company, finishing second in the Forerunner S. and Saranac S. (G2). He would not taste defeat again for more than a year.

Manila went on a tear, reeling off nine straight wins. Defeating fellow sophomores in the Cinema H. (G2) and Lexington S. (G2), the improving colt then dismissed his elders in the United Nations H. (G1) and the Ballantine's Scotch Classic (G3), the latter by 9 1/2 commanding lengths.

Manila cut it much closer in his next two, but he was along in time to claim the Turf Classic (G1) by a nose, and he overcame trouble that would have scuttled the hopes of a mortal in the 1986 Breeders' Cup Turf (G1) at Santa Anita. On that day, he won going away from future champion Theatrical (Ire) by a neck, with champion turf mare Estrapade another 3 3/4 lengths back in third and European phenom Dancing Brave a well-beaten fourth. For his efforts, Manila took home the Eclipse Award as champion turf horse.

In 1987, Manila kept his streak going with three-length scores in the Elkhorn S. and Early Times Turf Classic, and he defended his United Nations title by 2 1/2 lengths while conceding nine pounds to the runner-up. Assigned 127 pounds for the Bernard Baruch H. (G2), he missed by just a half-length to Talakeno, who got in with a mere 115. Manila promptly rebounded with an emphatic victory in the Arlington Million (G1), again mastering Theatrical, who was beaten more than four lengths in third.

Shannon and Jolley were contemplating an assault on the famed Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe (Fr-G1) at Longchamp, but injury foiled those dreams. The Million wound up being Manila's final start, and in his absence, Theatrical went on to earn champion turf horse honors.

At stud, Manila sired multiple Grade 1 turf star Bien Bien, an earner of more than $2.3 million; Italian Group 1 winner Great Palm; and French Group 3 queen and dual classic-placed Agathe, who is the dam of English and French highweight mare Aquarelliste (Danehill) and current multiple Grade 1 hero Artiste Royal (Ire) (Danehill). Manila was exported to Turkey in 1997.

Out of the *Le Fabuleux mare Dona Ysidra, Manila was a half-brother to Irish co-champion miler Stately Don (Nureyev), the winner of the 1987 Secretariat S. (G1) and Hollywood Derby (G1).

To put Manila's racing career in its proper perspective, it is worth remembering that the late Joe Hirsch paid him a profound compliment. In response to a reader's question about the best grass horses he'd ever seen, the dean of American turf writers answered thus:

"Round Table and Manila."

Sorry to hear this. I was a huge fan. I had the chance to speak last summer with Jolley about Manila. He relived a lot of memories the week of the Hall of Fame induction. Manila was a rare horse indeed. Imagine a horse today having that kind of campaign.

Tremendous horse. If I remember correctly he was a question mark going into the race he lost to Talakeno because I think he missed a few days of training with some infirmity. That was a long time ago...

Wow. I can't believe it's been that many years. Great horse.

A grand, grand horse. Rest in peace, Manila. You were and always will be, a champion.

Round Table and Manila--high praise, and he deserved it .

A wonderful competitor and truly a turf great...

When Manila was beat Jolley blamed it on the heat and said Manila was dehydrated.

sort of like Tagg with Funny Cide

Manila - Turkey?
 

How did Manila end up in Turkey?

Some of the old timers at Arlington that I have talked to tell me that he was the best horse that they have ever seen live

Find it interesting that he ends of in Turkey.....

airplane

Just like how sunday silence ended up in Japan

Haha, that one made me laugh out loud.

:$: :$: :$:

I think I saw him win the Breeders Cup Turf at Anita. Seems like Santos rode him. Horse has to be about 20 years old, right?

Would luv to see Curlin end up in Turkey...

I was just looking for some of the oldtimers to maybe tell the story between his last race at Arlington and how he ended up in Turkey, of all places.

He was a great racehorse who should have been voted into the hall of fame on his first try. He was a very forgettable sire. The Turks have imported a lot of sires from the US.

I'm rooting for you and Pete Carroll to wind up sharing a cell in a Turkish prison. Is that wrong?

Cannon Shell for Grand Marshal of the 2010 Tournament of Roses Parade

Manila (born 1983 in Kentucky, died 2009, 28 Feb ,in İzmit Turkey.) ....."Aortic Ring Rupture.” Sounds like what Lucille Ball died of.

Matter of fact, much as these people like to rape(even raped retarded women when they invaded Cyprus,) that Mineshaft horse "Shafted" might be a natural for them. Gunna have to do better than he did in that Lewis Stakes though.