Saint Liam (April 13, 2000 – August 22, 2006) was an American thoroughbred racehorse who was voted 2005 Eclipse Award Horse of the Year honors after winning the Donn Handicap, Stephen Foster, Woodward Stakes and Breeders' Cup Classic.
He died in 2006 due to a freak accident, leaving behind a single crop of foals that included Horse of the Year Havre de Grace.
[2] Saint Liam was sold at the 2001 Fasig-Tipton Yearling sale for $130,000 to William Warren Jr and his wife Suzanne.
He raced in midpack during the early running then made his move on the final turn, pulling away late to win by half a length.
[4] Saint Liam was then stepped up in class by facing graded stakes company for the first time in the Arkansas Derby on April 12.
[7] In his four-year-old season, Saint Liam made five starts and won twice, including the Grade II Clark Handicap.
Saint Liam started his four-year-old campaign on January 18, 2004, in an allowance optional claiming race at Gulfstream Park.
Peace Rules set the early pace, with Saint Liam two lengths back in second and Funny Cide in third.
Saint Liam briefly took the lead but Peace Rules rallied in the final strides and won by a head.
[9][10] Peace Rules then won the Oaklawn Handicap on April 3, with Saint Liam finishing third after tiring in the stretch.
Saint Liam was bumped hard at the start by Seek Gold but quickly regained his stride and settled in second place behind a moderate early pace set by Lundy's Liability.
[16] On March 5, Saint Liam made his next start in the Santa Anita Handicap, going off as the even-money favorite in a field of eleven.
"[18] Returning to Dutrow's care, Saint Liam made his next start on August 6 in the Whitney Handicap at a distance of 1+1⁄8 miles.
Ridden for the first time by Jerry Bailey, he rated off the early pace before taking command in the stretch to win by two lengths over Sir Shackleton, with Commentator well back in third.
Racing four wide, Saint Liam moved alongside Flower Alley at the top of the stretch and gradually pulled away, winning by a length.
"[22] Saint Liam was standing at stud at Lane's End Farm in Versailles, Kentucky when, in a freak accident in August 2006 he slipped and fell, suffering an untreatable left tibial fracture.
Saint Liam's most notable offspring is Havre de Grace (foaled May 12, 2007, out of Easter Brunette by Carson City), who won the 2011 Horse of the Year award while capturing the Azeri, Woodward, Beldame, Apple Blossom H., and Obeah Stakes, and running against males in the Breeders' Cup Classic.
[23] After winning the Breeders' Cup, the Warrens indicated that they planned to donate half of the horses breeding rights to the Saint Francis Health Centre in Oklahoma.
[7] In 2007, the Warrens donated $8 million to the University of Notre Dame for the refurbishment of the health center, which was renamed Saint Liam Hall.