Conduit and Banner - A Love Story

Original article written by Emily White posted 11 years 1 week ago

Some things were just meant to be, as it was with two horses back in the annals of SIM history. He was undefeated and from a bloodline that would become the most prestigious in all of Thoroughbred breeding. She was in a class of her own and sired by a Derby winner. Only a year apart, they were born in raised in similar situations, by the same owner and trainer.

It was only natural they would get together, right?

At the very end of Year 7, Ara Davies' enormous bay filly War Song was sent to be bred to Jess Paquette's handsome Derby-winning colt Loki Flame. He had been retired at the end of his sophomore campaign after suffering a narrow defeat to Elusive Pegasus - a Davies horse - in the Steward's Cup Classic. War Song, a Grade 1 winner on both dirt and turf, was four now and preparing for her first foal. Many thought the match was good. The slim, athletic Loki Flame would refine the future foal of the massive War Song.

Sure enough, when it was time for the maiden mare to deliver, she foaled a healthy, sturdy chestnut filly. She was big - maybe too big. Nevertheless, the grooms at the farm who attended her birth were pleased. The filly was robust and strong - it didn't take her long to stand. She would be named Banner - simple and elegant.

Banner grew into a stunning weanling, and then a gorgeous yearling, as the first year of her life flew by. A broad, white stripe meandering down her tapered face, she had a beautiful head and large, expressive toffee-colored eyes. She enjoyed running around her small pasture, calling out to the other yearlings to challenge her, her red-orange tail billowing behind her. One unusually warm night, fate would deal its hand.

Rain Dancer had been sent to the breeding shed a while back. She was not at all inexperienced in the matters of a broodmare - she was the mother of eight before this foal, and her first foal, Cascade, was a multiple Grade 1 winner. The foal she was carrying now was a product of the mating between herself and the burly black stallion Symbol. He made only seven starts in his short career, and finished first or second in all of them. He had shattered the world record for a mile and a quarter in his final start, the Awesome Derby. Everyone was eagerly expecting his first crop of foals to arrive.

Her foal, when born, was noisy and boisterous from the get-go. He nursed ferociously, eager to succeed in life outside the womb. The dark bay colt resembled neither Symbol or Rain Dancer, but instead his dam sire, Storm Cat. He was a large foal, as Banner had been, but there was more beauty in him. He had a chiseled head and an expressive face. His name would be Conduit.

Conduit grew like a weed. As a yearling, he had long, spindly legs and a mane that you couldn't get to lay flat no matter how hard you tried. But as exciting as an up-and-coming colt was, there was that chestnut filly, born a year earlier, that was getting ready to make her first start.

In Paris, her jockey's blue and green silks billowing in the slight wind, Banner stood patiently, chomping at the bit, waiting to be loaded into the gate. She went in without a problem, and the stalls sprang open, sending her and eight other fillies to their destiny. Banner won, of course.

Two weeks later, she captured the $200,000 Nunthrope Stakes for fillies at London Gallops. It was a shorter distance than her maiden - this race was five furlongs; her maiden race was seven - but she handled it like a professional. Banner's connections decided to close out her two year-old year in the Moyglare Stud Stakes, hoping the filly could continue her perfect record. Unfortunately, Ireland was not kind to the young filly. She finished third, beaten by a pair of very good fillies in Undefeated and Four of Wands.

At the start of Year 9, an ocean apart, two racehorses would make their yearly debuts. In Paris, Banner was entered in an allowance over a mile and a sixteenth on the turf course there. At Arcadia Park in California, in a four and a half furlong maiden special weight on dirt, Conduit was making his first appearance on the track against eight others. Who knew that these horses, when joined together, would make such an impact?

Banner won her allowance easily, but Conduit shocked the world. He took the lead right out of the gate and never looked back. The gorgeous dark colt crossed the finish line fourteen lengths in front and drawing away with every stride. He nearly ripped the jockey's arms out of his sockets as the poor rider tried desperately to pull him up.

There was quite a buzz surrounding the dark bay colt now. Three weeks later, he tried a Grade 3 stakes at nearby Inglewood Park. He won that won as well, although only four others challenged him this time. Davies shipped her prodigy across the country to Baltimore for a Grade 3 there. Banner was also entered for that week - but she would try to win her first prestigious race in the Vodafone Oaks Stakes in London.

Conduit looked the regally bred colt Mythical Dancer in the eye as the bay colt passed him and broke his spirit. Mythical Dancer lost the lead shortly after that. Conduit toyed with the East Coast horses, drawing away to win impressively. In England, Banner flew past horses through the stretch and sailed away to win the Oaks.

Two weeks later, Conduit was back in action in the In Reality Stakes down in Florida. It was a Grade 3 race, again, but boasted the best purse he had seen so far - $350,000. Only three others dared to face him; he handed them a crushing defeat. He was headed to New York for the Remsen after that - not the Steward's Cup Juvenile, which shocked the world.

In Week 10, Banner shipped back to Ireland - the site of her first and only defeat so far. It was for the Irish Oaks, a great race for a huge purse of $800,000. She picked up the check as easily as ever, galloping down the stretch to cement the title of Champion Three Year-Old Filly in Europe. But before she could call it a year, it was on to New York for her - to face the best the world had to offer in the Steward's Cup Filly and Mare Turf.

On the day and on the track that Conduit should have been facing his peers in the Steward's Cup Juvenile, he instead won the Grade 1 Remsen Stakes convincingly. Dodging the Juvenile cost him the title of Champion Two Year-Old Colt, of course. That honor would go to Loki Masterpiece, who would win the next year's Derby and Crown but fall a nose short in the Long Island Classic.

A few races later, in the Filly and Mare Turf, Banner finished a strong but distant fourth behind the undefeated, freaky filly Solstice, as well as All in Fun and Four of Wands. That would be Solstice's final race - but not Banner's. As a consolation prize, she was awarded the Simmy Award for Champion Three Year-Old Filly in Europe - much deserved for the great filly.

Conduit bounced back quickly after the Remsen, coming back the first week of Year 10 in the Battle Cry Stakes. He destroyed a small field by six and a half lengths, showing the world that the dark colt's job wasn't finished last year. Two weeks later, Banner would enter the biggest race of her career.

Everyone wants to win the Arc de Triomphe. Year 10 was the fourth year the two million dollar race would be run, and it had attracted some nice horses. World champion and multi-millionaire Notable Dancer was there, as were graded stakes winners The Ant Man and Affirmed Champion. If Banner won the race, she would be the first filly to do so. She earned her place in the history books with a three length victory over Notable Dancer in second place. Her name was now in the running for European Horse of the Year.

Meanwhile, in Florida, Conduit had a fight on his hands in the Grade 2 Flamingo Stakes. Teri Lawrence's chestnut colt Warcry Forever, who had just broken his maiden two weeks before, was giving the dark bay superstar the battle of a lifetime in the race. Conduit barely prevailed by a head. It was on to Toronto and the Queen's Derby for Conduit.

A week later, Banner destroyed a small field of only five others in the Coral-Eclipse Stakes in London. Her dominance was on display that day, as she crossed the line tugging at the bit, her jockey gearing her down to a crawling canter.

It was all too easy for Conduit in Week 8 in Toronto. The Queen's Derby was a spectacle - he destroyed Long Island Classic winner Gaze Unwavering and seven others by eleven and a half lengths - not bad for a three million dollar race. A week later, he was back in the Prince of Peace Stakes, which he won as well.

Week 10 of Year 10 would be a major week for Ara Davies' colt and filly. In Ireland, Banner was entered against six others in the Tattersalls Gold Cup. It would be her penultimate race. And at Toronto Racecourse, Conduit was making his very first - and last - start on turf in the Canadian Breeders' Stakes in an attempt to win the Canadian Triple Crown. As the gates opened across the pond, it seemed like the whole world's attention was focused on these two horses solely.

Banner soundly defeated her rivals, earning another large check and a feather in her cap. She was one step closer to the title of Horse of the Year. In Toronto, Conduit was magnificent. He floated across the turf course, romping by eight emphatic lengths. History was made as he became the first horse to capture the Canadian Triple Crown.

Two weeks later, Banner made her final start. Earlier that day, Conduit had destroyed the field in the Grade 1 Malibu Stakes, sprinting away by eight lengths. He would be back. Banner, however, was taking her final bow. She was entered in the Hong Kong Vase, a two million dollar race against five others. Her biggest challenge was Capture A Moment, a decently bred winner of the Irish Oaks that year. In the end, Banner defeated her by a head, closing out her career winning nine of eleven races. She was awarded the awards for Champion Older Mare in Europe and European Horse of the Year. She returned to the farm and a date with Triple Crown winner Priceless Forever, who would sire her first foal.

Conduit was again snubbed in the Simmy department. The year to come would seal his name in racing history.

In his four year-old debut, the San Fernando Stakes, he was taken far back by his jockey. As they turned for home, he rocketed past horses and, under a tight restraint, galloped home to an easy victory. A week later, in the Grade 1 Strub Stakes, he destroyed four rivals by six and a half lengths. He left California for the East Coast again and romped by nine lengths in the Baltimore Special in Maryland.

They had good reason to be scared of this colt. He won the Grade 2 Priceless Forever Stakes in New Jersey by an easy four and a half lengths, and destroyed Grade 1 competition in the Jockey Club Gold Cup two weeks later. He shipped to Louisville Downs, the most iconic track in Thoroughbred racing, to contest the Steward's Cup Classic.

Meanwhile, back at the farm, Banner was raising a beautiful, leggy chestnut filly that had been named Pennant. Priceless Forever's daughter held much promise. At the end of the breeding season, Pennant would be a weanling, and Banner was booked to none other than the Classic contender Conduit. Their mating would be one for the ages.

There were doubts about Conduit in the Classic. He was only coming off a week of rest, and faced an extremely tough field. Not only was Desert World Cup winner Gaze Unawavering there, but last year's Derby and Crown winner Loki Masterpiece and that year's Derby winner, El Rival Decade, had also shown up to challenge. Even old rival Warcry Forever and the defending champion, Walkover, were entered.

But Conduit simply could not be beaten. He never had been and he wouldn't succumb in this race, either. He defeated Loki Masterpiece by two and a half ever-growing lengths under the Twin Spires. He would end his career with over eight million in earnings, a perfect record of seventeen wins in seventeen starts, the awards for North American Horse of the Year and Champion Older Male, and a Canadian Triple Crown win.

His first crop of foals was small - only five. But the mares sent to him were top-notch. Among the five was Banner, who had just been weaned from her first filly, Pennant.

The result of their coupling was Atlas, a strapping, burly chestnut colt that was the spitting image of Banner. From the beginning, Atlas was a runner. He was brilliant in his training and grew to a full 16.3 hands, just as tall as his sire. At the end of his yearling season, he shipped down to Australia to contest the best of the best there.

Davies was so impressed with Banner's Conduit yearling that she decided to breed the two again. The result was a tall, leggy dark filly with a large, white snip on her nose. Not as bold as Atlas, she was sweet and slightly timid. In appearance, Atlas resembled Banner. This filly, who was named Map, looked a lot like her sire, Conduit.

In the first week of Year 12, he made his debut in a five furlong maiden race at Australia Race Course. A full field of twelve lined up in the starting stalls that day. Many of these horses, however, would continue to be destroyed by Atlas later in their career. People soon discovered that Atlas ran like Conduit, not like Banner, for when the gates opened, he inherited the lead immediately. There was no looking back for Atlas - he waltzed home more than six lengths in front.

Davies decided to throw him to the wolves and enter the colt in the Grade 1 Blue Diamond Stakes. The seven other horses entered were no match for him. Atlas flew down the stretch to win by fourteen lengths. Tragedy struck when Really A Dancer, closing fast on the far outside, took a bad step and broke down just after the wire. He had finished a valiant fourth. He would never race again.

Next was the very prestigious Golden Slipper Stakes, a Grade 1 at six furlongs in distance. The horses Atlas was entered against were no slouches. The entries included his own stablemate, Starburst, a tiny bay colt who had gamely won a maiden race four weeks before. Starburst could do no better than fourth in this race. Atlas crushed the field by eight lengths. To close out his two year-old season, Atlas took the Grade 3 Sire's Produce Stakes by seven and a half lengths. The chestnut colt was given the award of Australian Champion Two Year-Old.

Back and better than ever, Atlas came back in the first week of the new year in the Canterbury Guineas. Court Jester tried to chase him, but it was in vain. Atlas was too fast. He was a powerhouse down the stretch, running away from the field, in front by almost nine lengths at the wire.

A week later, the focus shifted slightly from Atlas to his younger sister, Map, who was making her debut in a race much like Atlas had - a full field, five furlongs, and on the springy Australian turf course. She defeated the field easily, stalking the leaders and inheriting the lead at the far turn, winning by a comfortable three lengths. A week later, it was her brother's time to shine again.

Atlas faced older horses for the very first time two weeks later in the Grade 1 Australia Cup. It wasn't a very deep field - they were no match for him. He again won by almost nine lengths.

In Week 4, Map made her stakes debut in the Blue Diamond Stakes. She had scared away her competition and only faced four others. Map cantered home to win by six and a half lengths. People were very impressed by the beautiful dark filly. Many thought she was as good as her freaky brother, Atlas.

In his first million dollar race, the AJC Australian Derby, Atlas would face stablemate Starburst again, as well as a few other nice horses. Starburst had captured the Grade 1 Doncaster Stakes earlier that year. The small son of Sunline tried desperately to give Atlas a challenge, but to no avail. By the time the rest of the horses got running, Atlas was geared down and six and a half lengths in front at the wire. People just couldn't believe this horse. He was seven for seven and had showed no signs of weakness of chinks in his armor.

Map made her final two starts of the year in Week 6 and Week 8. The first was the highly-regarded Golden Slipper Stakes, a Grade 1 which her brother had won the previous year. She was facing colts for the first time. She handled them very well, winning by two emphatic lengths at the wire. Then, two weeks later, she ran again with girls and destroyed a small field by three lengths in the Grade 3 Blue Diamond Prelude. After that, it would be a long rest before her sophomore debut. Many expected big things from Map.

In Atlas' next start, the Caulfield Cup, he was up against stablemate Evasive Maneuvers, an Epsom Derby winner who just happened to be his dam's half-brother. In any other time, the handsome bay colt would have won this race easily. Atlas left him behind like he was standing still. The winning margin was a comfortable three and a half lengths.

However, Atlas would not have things easy for long. In his next start - and the last of his sophomore season - he faced one major obstacle. That obstacle just happened to be a small dark stallion named Storm of Applause. Robin Tan's bona fide racehorse had raced on four different continents and was now trying Australia on for size. He was a two-time winner of the Irish Champion Stakes, as well as the winner of the Irish Derby, the English 2000 Guineas, the Desert Sheema Classic, and the Chicago Million. He had placed in races like the Steward's Cup Turf Mile and the Arc De Triomphe. With over eight million in earnings, Storm of Applause was a tough customer.

There was also Jade Sword, the Australian Champion Older Horse of the previous year, and even a Bluegrass Stakes winner in Silence is Forever. Atlas had his metaphorical hands full.

He took the lead right from the start, and held it until the far turn. Then, the gutsy Storm of Applause tried and succeeded at passing him. For an instant, it looked like Atlas was beaten. However, as they reached the finish line, Atlas dug in and fought back. Slowly, he edged past the classy older horse, The three year-old colt prevailed by half a length. The two were four in front of Jade Sword. Atlas had faced his biggest challenge yet and won.

Oh, the awards he received! Atlas was that year's Australian Champion Three Year-old Colt and Horse of the Year as well. Map also got a piece of the victory, winning the award for Australian Champion Two Year-Old of any gender. The children of Conduit and Banner were as talented as their parents were.

At the start of Year 14, Map entered in and won the Grade 2 Auraria Stakes, a prep for her next start. She stalked the pace and took the lead as she rolled around the far turn. She won by two lengths over the well-bred filly Two of Dreams. Map was undecided for her next race. Would it be the Australian Derby or the Oaks instead?

In Week 2, Australia's favorite racehorse came back to score by five and a half lengths in the Grade 1 Doncaster Handicap. After that race, it was off to Dubai for the Sheema Classic - or was it?

Absolutely not. Atlas was the best horse in the world, many thought. Why shouldn't he try to tangle with the best? He was entered in the Desert World Cup - his very first start on dirt. There were only minor doubts. His sire, Conduit, was a Steward's Cup Classic winner, and his damsire a Derby winner. But could he transfer his awesome turf form to the Dubai dirt?

Entered against him was the classy Prefamageps, the Travers winner from the previous year. Grade 2 winner Epic Hoax was there as well. Power Surge was back to defend his title in the World Cup after a half-length victory over The Edge of Night in Year 13. But the headliner was none other than Atlas' own stablemate, Triple Crown winner Jet-Ski. The leggy gray colt had come back after his triumphant sophomore campaign and had won the Gulfstream Park Handicap two weeks before. If the battle against Storm of Applause was great, this showdown was legendary. The sires of Atlas and Jet-Ski, Canoe and Conduit, respectively, were half-brothers. They were the same age and had both won the awards for Champion Three Year-Old Colt and Horse of the Year on their respective continents the previous year.

In the end, the chestnut and the gray battled it out down the stretch. Jet-Ski was game, but Atlas was a fighter. He hadn't lost in ten other starts, and he wouldn't lose that day. In his first appearance outside of the Australian continent, Atlas drew away to win the Desert World Cup, the world's richest horse race, by three quarters of a length over the game Triple Crown winner Jet-Ski. It was the race of a lifetime.

Thousands of miles away, a week after the Desert World Cup, Atlas' sister Map was about to face her biggest challenge. She was entered in the Australian Derby, her second race against males, and faced a very classy three year-old colt in A Bus. He was well-bred and had won a huge race down in South America at the end of the previous year. But could he stay a mile and a half? He tried his best. Map, however, was too good. She pulled away from A Bus by almost three lengths, and was geared down at the wire. She might have sealed the award for Champion Three Year-Old Filly with that race, if not for a fierce gray filly named Sai Yah.

There was no long break for the world champion Atlas. He shipped back to Australia shortly after his desert win, and two weeks later, he captured the Grade 1 Sydney Cup by four and a half lengths.

Two weeks after Atlas' waltz home in the Sydney Cup, Map tried to beat the fillies in the Australian Oaks, a Grade 1 race over ten furlongs. Waiting for her there was Sai Yah. A daughter of the lean, mean Shentaan, she had won the AJC Australian Oaks the same day that Map had defeated A Bus in the Derby. She would be tough competition for the undefeated Map. But as the race drew to a close, Sai Yah crossed the wire, in front by a comfortable two and a half lengths, and Map tasted her first defeat. It was a disappointing day for the daughter of Conduit and Banner.

Atlas' next start would be the biggest race in Australia - the million dollar Melbourne Cup. There he faced Resonance, the undefeated daughter of the undefeated Solstice. The two chestnuts, born the same year, both were seeking to keep their race records flawless. But there was no dead heat that day. Atlas defeated the very classy filly by a length, keeping his perfect record intact.

That same day, Map faced Sai Yah again, this time in the Grade 1 Queensland Oaks. She lost again by the same margin. Sai Yah was turning into quite the rival for her. Instead of starting again that year, Map was sent back to the farm to rest up for a possible four year-old campaign.

One more start remained for Atlas that year, and that was the Steward's Cup Turf. It was held at Long Island Park, the site of his dam's failed Steward's Cup try. Waiting for him there was Faith Justified, who had won the Sheema Classic a few races before Atlas' Desert World Cup triumph. Like Resonance, the tall, dark and well-bred colt had never lost a race. Also up for the challenge was the previous year's Steward's Cup Turf champion, Storm Trader, and Cabaret's half-sister, Ragtime.

Faith Justified gave Atlas the fight of his life, just as Jet-Ski had, but the burly chestnut son of Conduit and Banner would not be denied the win. It came down to a photo finish, but Atlas made sure his head was in front. Storm Trader and Ragtime finished third and fourth after the dueling pair up front.

Atlas again won Australian Horse of the Year, as well as the awards for Champion Older Horse in Australia and Champion Turf Horse in North America. He could have retired to stud there and then. His record was better than most horses at that point. Atlas, however, was not finished. There was one more goal to achieve - the Year 15 Steward's Cup Classic.

He started his five year-old season with a handy win in the Grade 2 Sunshine Park Handicap, beating Gaze Unwavering's little half-brother, Prize Worth Having. He soundly defeated four others in the Suburban Handicap at Long Island Park, which was where the Steward's Cup would be held that year. Finally, he made a short journey to The Spa to take the Whitney Handicap by two lengths, beating a decent field of nine.

The same week that Atlas had waltzed all over the Suburban Handicap field, Map made her final career start in the Sydney Cup against males. Her biggest competition was the aging Jade Sword. The seven year-old small dark stallion was also making his final appearance on the racetrack in this race. There was no Sai Yah here - that filly was winning races at the mile distance, instead.

It was a race for second and third. Map left the colts and stallions behind, striding out boldly through the stretch. Her jockey let her run, and it was a magnificent sight to see. Shades of Conduit were seen in her as she galloped down the course, head held high, ears pinned in full flight to the wire. She was sent back home and bred to the world champion turf horse Lokite Magic, who had already sired a millionaire in Deathdefying. Her first foal was a dainty bay filly named Zarya. She looked nothing like her mother - only like her father.

Map's work was done. However, Atlas' was not. The Steward's Cup Classic was tough - really tough. Chinese Bandit, that year's Desert World Cup victor was there, as well as the Arcadia Handicap winner, Viper and Florida Derby winner Regime. The previous year's Long Island Classic winner, Bebravedon'tcry, was entered. Well-bred Avonds was there. The biggest two competitors, though, were a pair of Derby winners - Saga and Loki Dynasty. Saga had won the race that year; Loki Dynasty the year before. Loki Dynasty was also a son of Conduit, and had won the Canadian Triple Crown as did his sire.

It would have been okay for Atlas to be second or third. This field was the toughest he had ever encountered. Atlas would never lose, though. There was a spirit in him that never allowed him to let him finish second-best. So when they came down to the wire at Long Island Park on Steward's Cup Day, Year 15, Atlas was in front of the pair of Derby winners, and drawing away. He had shattered all doubts. He had proven himself the best horse in the world.

The awards rolled in. Atlas was the North American Horse of the Year and Champion Older Horse. Along with those, he had won six others. He retired with a perfect record of eighteen starts, eighteen wins, and an unprecedented $12.7 million in earnings. He had Grade 1 wins on three continents, and had won on two surfaces.

Map had done admirably as well. Though not as talented as her chestnut brother, still she had beaten the boys twice, won a Simmy and the most prestigious two year-old races in Australia, and had not given up against the freak filly Sai Yah. She had collected a little over two million dollars in prizes.

Despite this, Conduit and Banner were never bred again. Banner produced millionaires by prolific sires like Triple Crown winner Jet-Ski, Three of Crowns, Vernacular, and Le Dauphin Noir. Everest, Atlas' half-brother, looked very similar to both the colt and his mother. He ended up winning sixteen out of twenty-seven races. Another half-brother, Trafalgar, has turned into quite the sire. And Pennant, Banner's first foal, produced sixteen foals, seven of them millionaires.

Conduit didn't do too shabby without Banner, either. In his entire stud career, he sired twenty-four millionaires and racked up over $88 million in progeny earnings. His offspring have done well on every surface and distance. He became a sire of sires, and many of his grandsons, like Tejano's Quest, Awake As I Am, and July, are prolific sires in the world today.

Map's first foal, Zarya, never won a stakes. However, Map did foal Geography, who was a Grade 1 winner, and Knot, who won the Filly and Mare Turf. Sadly, at the very beginning of Year 24, Map passed away at age 13. She died while foaling a small gray foal by Colorado named Allegheny, who ended up winning only two races.

Atlas did well in the breeding shed, but never achieved as much as he did on the racetrack. He produced three millionaires, and none of them have left sons good enough to carry on Atlas' tail-mail line. However, he has been flawless as a broodmare sire, producing 86 stakes winners and two millionaires.

Atlas was pensioned in the last week of Year 24, having produced 247 foals in ten crops of foals. After few years of peaceful retirement, he became an eventer and did pretty well in some local Virginia shows. Atlas died in the first week of Year 32, right when the first races of the year were beginning to run. He is buried alongside his sister in the farm cemetery.

After five large crops of foals, Conduit was pensioned. He became a rodeo horse and even won a few rodeos himself, proving that racehorses can learn to do something besides run fast, even the fastest of them all. Banner was pensioned after foaling Trafalgar, a dark, handsome Vernacular colt. She became a fox hunter, and loved to lead expeditions alongside the other Davies pensioners.

Their pastures were very close, and Banner and Conduit often talked to each other over the fence. If someone believed that horses couldn't love, they would be proven wrong by Conduit and Banner. To the end, they were the best of friends.

In the midst of Derby fever in Year 30, the year that Maelstrom won the Triple Crown, Conduit and Banner began to ail. The Saturday after Week 4 races was a bad one. In the morning, Conduit was found dead in his stall. It had been a peaceful death, one caused by old age. He was 23 years old. A few hours later, Banner passed away calmly in her paddock at age 24. The equine lovers had moved on to another world on the very same day, a touching and fitting end to their story.

They produced two spectacular horses in Atlas and Map. They were homebreds of the same owner, and born stalls apart, just in separate years. They lived their last days together and died on Saturday of Year 30, Week 4, two weeks before Maelstrom, a son of Such Great Heights, who was sired by Conduit's son Loki Dynasty, started his Triple Crown journey with a victory in the Derby.

Conduit and Banner were meant for each other. Atlas and Map proved that. Fate proved that.

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