The Keeneland July saletopper in a crop that also included Secretariat, Mr. Prospector distinguished himself on the racetrack as a record-setting sprinter, counting the Gravesend and Whirlaway among his seven wins in 14 starts. He began his stud career in Florida, but Mr. Prospector’s move to Claiborne Farm in 1980 was significant enough to be included in the book Horse Racing’s Top 100 Moments. The relocation “created an opportunity as big as the equine gene pool… Claiborne already had access to some of the country’s best broodmares. The combination of these mares with Mr. Prospector’s ability to throw a high percentage of stakes horses elevated him from the status of great sire to one of the four most influential sires of the late twentieth century. The other three dominant sires were Nasrullah, Northern Dancer, and Bold Ruler.”
His remarkable achievements as a sire, broodmare sire and sire of sires are unparalleled. Noted for passing on speed, precocity and classic ability, Mr. Prospector sired 181 stakes winners from 986 starters (19%), 113 graded stakes winners, 46 Grade 1 stakes winners, and 22 Champions in his stud career of which the last 19 years were spent at Claiborne. One noteworthy feat was siring winners of the Kentucky Derby, Preakness and Belmont — the next sire to do so was his grandson, and also a Claiborne stallion, Unbridled. Other successful sires from his male line include: Distorted Humor, Seeking the Gold, Smart Strike, Forty Niner, Fappiano, Gone West, Kingmambo, Street Cry, Afleet, Birdstone, Cryptoclearance, Dubai Millennium, El Corredor, Elusive Quality, Gulch, Miswaki, Machiavellian, Quiet American, Thunder Gulch, and Woodman. The two-time Leading Sire also topped the broodmare sire list in nine out of ten years from 1997 through 2006. His daughters have produced nearly 220 Graded stakes winners and the earners of nearly $400 million, including champions Dayjur, Mineshaft, Hollywood Wildcat, and Tempera, as well as prominent sires Pulpit, Flatter and Malibu Moon.
Died June 1, 1999. Buried at Claiborne Farm.