Halo’s Image, Florida’s leading sire in 2004 and 2006, died of an apparent heart attack while covering a mare Friday at Bridlewood Farm in Ocala. He was 19.
Halo’s Image was one of the most prolific sons of Halo at stud. Bred by the late Arthur Appleton at Bridlewood, the bay horse was owned and campaigned by his breeder and trainer Happy Alter. As a racehorse, Halo’s Image was a six-time stakes winner and finished his career as a 5-year-old in 1996 with nine wins from 26 starts and $549,891 in earnings.
As a 3-year-old, Halo’s Image captured the Tropical Park Handicap (G3), the Calder Derby and the Manatee Handicap at Calder Race Course as well as the Spectacular Bid Breeders’ Cup Stakes at Gulfstream. He won the Thanksgiving Day Handicap at Calder the following year and the Broward Handicap (G3) at Gulfstream at age 5.
Halo’s Image perennially was among the leading sires in Florida. From 11 crops to race, he sired 16 black-type winners – including three graded stakes winners – and his progeny have earned more than $20 million. His leading earner was Grade 1 winner Southern Image, also an Appleton homebred and a Florida champion with earnings of more than $1.8 million. Halo’s Image also sired Sir Oscar, who swept the Florida Stallion Stakes in 2003 and was a five-time stakes winner at age 2.
“Halo’s Image was a lynchpin of our operation and a farm favorite,” George G. Isaacs, Bridlewood’s general manager, said in a statement. “He embodied everything we strive to accomplish here at Bridlewood: excellence on the racetrack, excellence at stud and excellence in the relationships we established through him.
“My personal memories of the joy this horse brought the Appleton family and Happy Alter throughout the years makes this a touch overwhelming and especially bittersweet at the moment. I feel like I just lost a dear, old friend.”
Alter added, “The combination of his racing career and his breeding career put him into a select group of Florida horses. I trained his mother, Sugar’s Image, who was the winningest Valid Appeal mare, and we chose to breed her to Halo. All my expectations became true when Halo’s Image hit the racetrack.”
Halo’s Image stood this season for a fee of $4,000. His half-brother, Unbridled’s Image, stands at Bridlewood.
–E-mail Nick Fortuna at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .
– File photo
