So You Think, a world racing legend, leaves behind an immense legacy

A 10-time Group 1 winner during his spectacular career, he passed away last weekend at Coolmore Australia

So You Think defined an era on the racetrack / COOLMORE

NEW SOUTH WALES, Australia (Special for Turf Diario).- The racing world bid farewell this past weekend to a true legend. So You Think, the superstar who dazzled in both hemispheres before establishing himself as one of Coolmore’s elite stallions, has died at the age of 19 after a short illness while being treated at the Scone Equine Hospital in New South Wales, Australia. The news was confirmed by Coolmore Australia, where the son of High Chaparral had stood since 2012, and where he will be remembered with the reverence reserved for the greats.

“When people visit Coolmore, the horse most of them want to see is So You Think,” said Tom Magnier, principal of Coolmore Australia. “He was a true gentleman—kind, intelligent, and imposing. For everyone who cared for him over the years, this is a very sad day. We were fortunate to have him with us and to see him become one of the truly elite stallions in the country.”

Bred in New Zealand by Mike and Helen Moran and Piper Farm, So You Think was out of the G3 winner Triassic(by Tights). Sent to legendary trainer Bart Cummings and racing for Dato Tan Chin Nam, he debuted with a victory at Rosehill in May 2009. The powerful colt wasted no time in hinting at greatness: after capturing the Gloaming Stakes (G3), he rose to stardom with an unforgettable triumph in the Cox Plate (G1)—in just his fifth career start. A year later, he repeated the feat, joining the rare company of two-time winners of Moonee Valley’s most iconic race.

The spring of 2010 was his moment of full coronation. Victories in the Memsie Stakes (G2), Underwood Stakes (G1), and MacKinnon Stakes (G1) were followed by a courageous third-place effort in the Melbourne Cup (G1)under top weight, confirming his extraordinary heart and resilience. His exploits drew the attention of Coolmore, which purchased the colt and sent him to Ireland to continue his career under Aidan O’Brien.

In Europe, So You Think upheld—and enhanced—his legend. He romped by 10 lengths in the Mooresbridge Stakes (G3) and went on to collect five additional Group 1 victories, including the Tattersalls Gold Cup, Eclipse Stakes, and Irish Champion Stakes. He also finished second in both the Prince of Wales’s Stakes and the Champion Stakes, and fourth in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, before concluding his career with a sixth-place finish in the Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1). From 23 starts, he recorded 14 wins—10 at Group 1 level—and missed the board only twice, a record that ranks among the most consistent of his era.

Returning to the Southern Hemisphere in 2012 to begin stud duties at Coolmore Australia, So You Think quickly became a cornerstone sire. Twice the runner-up on the Australian general sires list, he has so far produced 66 stakes winners, including 12 at Group 1 level, headlined by Think About It, hero of the 2023 The Everest. In 2022, he achieved a remarkable feat when three of his offspring won Group 1 races on the same day at Randwick.

His influence has already extended into broodmare ranks, with daughters producing the Golden Slipper (G1) winner Fireburn (Rebel Dane) and Prix Jean Prat (G1) hero Puchkine (Starspangledbanner).

Standing initially for A$66,000, So You Think’s fee rose to A$99,000 in 2023, covering 164 mares, before standing his most recent season at A$77,000 with 105 covers—numbers befitting one of the world’s most respected sires.

Magnier summed it up best: “He gave us unforgettable memories, both on the track and at stud. We’ll always remember him as one of the greats—a horse who represented the very best of racing in both hemispheres.”

His passing, just weeks after the deaths of Fastnet Rock (Danehill) and Wootton Bassett (Iffraaj), leaves a profound void at Coolmore and across Australian breeding. Yet So You Think’s name—and legacy—will forever endure among the immortals of the Thoroughbred world.