The United States Trotting Association announced that Rocknroll Hanover has been euthanized after developing a gastric impaction.
The death of the 2005 harness horse of the year at age 11 occurred earlier this week. It came just a year after the horse was inducted into the Harness Racing Hall of Fame.
Rocknroll Hanover had developed into one of harness racing's top breeding horses. Last year, his offspring won $17 million, which was No. 1 among all harness racing sires. He was standing stud at Perretti Farms of Pennsylvania.
On the racetrack, Rocknroll Hanover won 15 of 26 career starts and earned $2.75 million. Trained by Brett Pelling for owners Jeffrey Snyder, Lothlorien Equestrian Center and Perretti Racing, he won 12 of 18 races in 2005, including the North America Cup, Meadowlands Pace and Breeders Crown, and earned $2.22 million.
A year earlier, the colt won the $1 million Metro Pace in a world-record 1:49.4 mile. He is the only pacer in history to win the Metro, North America Cup, Meadowlands Pace and a Breeders Crown in his career.
