Halo’s Image, Florida’s Leading Sire in 2004 and 2006, passed away after suffering an apparent heart attack while covering a mare the afternoon of Friday, March 12 at Bridlewood Farm in Ocala. He was 19.

Halo’s Image was one of the most prolific sons of Halo at stud. Bred by Arthur Appleton, the bay horse was owned and campaigned by his breeder and Happy Alter, who also trained Halo’s Image. As a racehorse, Halo’s Image was a six-time stakes winner and three-time graded stakes winner. He captured the Skip Away H. (G3), Tropical Park H. (G3) and Fred Hooper H. (G3), compiling earnings of $549,891.

His career at stud was even more successful, as he was a perennial leading sire in Florida. From 11 crops to race, Halo’s Image has sired 16 black-type winners – including three graded stakes winners – and his progeny have earned more than $20 million to date. His leading earner was Grade 1 winner Southern Image, also an Appleton homebred who was a Florida champion with earnings of over $1.8 million. He also sired Sir Oscar, who swept the Florida Stallion Stakes and was a five-time stakes winner at two.
 
“Halo’s Image was a lynch pen of our operation and a farm favorite. He embodied everything we strive to accomplish here at Bridlewood: excellence on the racetrack, excellence at stud and excellence in the relationships we established through him,” said George G. Isaacs, general manager at Bridlewood. “My personal memories of the joy this horse brought the Appleton family and Happy Alter throughout the years makes this a touch overwhelming and especially bittersweet at the moment. I feel like I just lost a dear old friend.”

Happy Alter added: “The combination of his racing career and his breeding career put him into a select group of Florida horses. I trained his mother, Sugar’s Image, who was the winningest Valid Appeal mare, and we chose to breed her to Halo. All my expectations became true when Halo’s Image hit the racetrack.”

Halo’s Image stood this season for a fee of $4,000. His half-brother, Unbridled’s Image, currently stands at Bridlewood.