Adios (racehorse)

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Adios (January 3, 1940–1965) was a champion harness racing sire.

The son of Hal Dale and the mare Adioo Volo, the horse named Adios was born on January 3, 1940 at Two Gaits Farm, in Carmel, Indiana. Trained and driven by Frank Ervin and for a while owned by Harry Warner of Warner Bros. film studio, Adios was a multiple world champion during his racing career, his pacing record at the Shelbyville, Indiana fair stood for 43 years. Despite his racing success, it is his offspring that he is most famous for.

In 1948, Adios was bought by harness racing driver Delvin Miller to stand in stud at his Meadow Lands farm near Washington, Pennsylvania. The horse proved to be a tremendous stud, considered by many to be the greatest in harness racing history. He sired eight Little Brown Jug winners, more than any other horse, and his sons, Adios Butler and Bret Hanover both became winners of the Triple Crown of Harness Racing for Pacers.

Before he died in 1965, Adios had sired 589 offspring. His name is synonymous with horse racing and can be found on consumer products and harness horse equipment. At his passing, the horse was buried at Meadow Lands farm under his favorite apple tree near the paddock that had been his home for seventeen years.

A race was named for him, held each year on the second Saturday in August at The Meadows racetrack in Meadow Lands, Pennsylvania. Since the first Adios Pace in 1967, it has evolved into one of the important events in the harness racing season.

In 1977, a book was published by Marie Hill titled Adios: the big daddy of harness racing.