Longtime Claiborne client Ogden Phipps enjoyed a stellar year in 1988 and dominated the Eclipse Awards — Phipps was recognized as both Champion Owner and Champion Breeder, Claude (Shug) McGaughey won the trainer title, Personal Ensign and Easy Goer earned divisional honors, and another homebred, Seeking the Gold, enjoyed Grade 1 success in the Dwyer and again in the $1 million Super Derby. Runner-up efforts in the Breeders’ Cup Classic-G1, Travers-G1, Haskell-G1, and Wood Memorial-G1 added to an outstanding 3-year-old campaign. At year end, Seeking the Gold was the third-highweighted sophomore on the Daily Racing Form Free Handicap — just one pound below Claiborne’s Forty Niner and two below Champion Risen Star.
Seeking the Gold retired to stud at Claiborne as Mr. Prospector’s third-leading money winner with earnings of $2.3 million. He quickly rose to the elite sire ranks: In just his first two crops, he had 15 stakes winners including Flanders and Heavenly Prize, who combined to win seven Grade 1 races in 1994 when both earned divisional Eclipse Awards. Some of Seeking the Gold’s other important offspring include Dubai Millennium, winner of the Dubai World Cup as well as Group 1 races in France and England; Breeders’ Cup Distaff-G1 winner Pleasant Home; Belmont Stakes-G1 winner Jazil; Wood Memorial-G1 winner Bob and John; Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies-G1 winner Cash Run; and French Champion Seeking the Pearl.
Seeking the Gold resided at Claiborne Farm where he sired 19 crops before he was pensioned. He was represented by 91 stakes winners, including five champions. Also a leading broodmare sire, Seeking the Gold is the sire of the dams of 157 stakes winners, and he consistently ranks among the top 20 on the Leading Broodmare Sires List.
Pensioned after the 2008 breeding season.
Died in 2016, buried at Claiborne Farm