Go for Gin, oldest living Kentucky Derby winner, dies at 31

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WAVE) - The oldest living Kentucky Derby-winning thoroughbred died on Wednesday at the age of 31.

Go for Gin, who won the 1994 Kentucky Derby, died at the Kentucky Horse Park due to heart failure, according to a release.

The 31-year-old thoroughbred had lived at the horse park since his retirement from stud duty in June 2011.

“We’re honored that Go for Gin was an ambassador of the park for nearly 12 years,” Kentucky Horse Park Executive Director Lee Carter said in a release. “As a visitor favorite, Go For Gin brought visitors from around the world to the Bluegrass and introduced new fans to the sport of thoroughbred racing. He will be greatly missed by all of us at the Kentucky Horse Park.”

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R.I.P. 1994 @KentuckyDerby winner Go for Gin. He passed away Tuesday at the @KyHorsePark. Go for Gin was the oldest living Kentucky Derby winner at age 31.

Obituary: https://t.co/BTOxb00XyQ pic.twitter.com/keVdfOvvmg
— Churchill Downs PR (@DerbyMedia) March 9, 2022

Go for Gin was bred in Kentucky and won the Remsen Stakes at the age of two. When he was three-years-old, the thoroughbred won the 120th Kentucky Derby with Hall of Fame jockey Chris McCarron.

After placing second in the Preakness and Belmont Stakes that year, Go for Gin won 14 out of his 19 races.

The Kentucky Horse Park said Go for Gin shared the Hall of Champions with other champion horses including Thoroughbreds Funny Cide and Point Given.

Go for Gin will be buried at the Memorial Walk of Champions at the horse park. A public memorial service will be announced for a future date.