Champion Standardbred, Cam Fella, died May 9 at the Kentucky Horse Park where he had been retired after a successful career at stud at Stonegate farm in New Jersey. At the age of 22, the gelding was humanely put down due to renal failure following a progressive battle with cancer. Cam Fella’s retirement at the Kentucky Horse Park in 1997 came after he was gelded due to his previous battle with testicular cancer that ended his stud career.

Sired by Most Happy Fella, out of Nan-Cam, by Bret Hanover, Cam Fella was foaled on May 14, 1979. He was bred by Wilford Cameron, and was foaled at Walnut Hall in Lexington, Ky. He was then bought as a two-year-old by Norm Clements and Norm Faulkner of Ontario and trained by Pat Crowe.

Known as “The Pacing Machine,” Cam Fella last raced in 1983 and completed his career with 61 wins in 80 starts and earned $2,041,360, making him the richest Standardbred at the time. Even though it has been 18 years since he last raced, his 28 consecutive victories still stands as the longest winning stretch in the sport. He was inducted into the Canadian Horse Ranching Hall of Fame for his racetrack accomplishments, and in 1998 was inducted into the United States Harness Racing Hall of Fame. He was voted harnesss racing’s “Horse of the Year” in 1982 and 1983, in both the U.S. and Canada.

Cam Fella succeeded his racing exploits with a phenomenal career as a sire. His 13 crops of horses have already earned more than $86 million