Racehorse Funny Cide, winner of the 2003 Kentucky Derby, has died

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- The winning horse of the 2003 Kentucky Derby has died.

Funny Cide won the 129th running of the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness Stakes in 2003. The thoroughbred racehorse died on Sunday due to complications from colic, according to a post by Kentucky Horse Park.

"He will be greatly missed by his friends at the Kentucky Horse Park, Sackatoga Stable and all his devoted fans," Kentucky Horse Park posted.

Funny Cide was housed at the Hall of Champions, which will be closed on Sunday. Funny Cide earned the nickname "Gutsy Gelding" after winning the Kentucky Derby. The race horse won all three races as a two-year-old before winning two Triple Crown races the following year.

Funny Cide was sent off at odds of almost 13-1 when he won the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs. He was the first New York-bred horse to win the race, according to Kentucky Horse Park. Funny Cide then won the Preakness Stakes by over nine lengths, becoming the 30th horse in history to win the first two legs of the Triple Crown.

The racehorse couldn't complete the Triple Crown though, losing the Belmont Stakes by five lengths. Funny Cide earned $3.6 million in his career.

WDRB News visited Funny Cide last spring at the Kentucky Horse Park to see how Kentucky Derby-winning horses spend their days.

Related Stories: