Favorite Trick, the 1997 (Thoroughbred) Horse of the Year as a 2-year-old, and Saratoga Six, a grade I winner, died last night in a barn fire at Jim and Marilyn Helzer’s JEH Stallion Station near Hondo, N.M. They were among six stallions, including three Quarter Horses, that died in the blaze.

“It came about 9:00 last night,” said farm manager Dr. Donald McDonald. “The night watchman came to check the stallions about 30 minutes before. Everything was fine, and he turned out the lights. At 9:00, he came out of another barn and saw the stallion barn engulfed with flames. They didn’t have a chance.”

An investigation into the cause of the fire is under way.

Eleven-year-old Favorite Trick began his stallion career at John T.L. Jones Jr.’s Walmac International near Lexington, Ky., and later stood at John Sykes’ Cloverleaf Farms II in Florida