▁March ▁ 1 8 , ▁ 2 0 1 9 ) ▁was ▁an ▁American ▁Thor ough bre d ▁race hor se ▁who ▁was ▁ ▁the ▁second - place ▁finish er ▁in ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 9 ▁Kentucky ▁Derby . ▁After ▁ret iring ▁from ▁racing , ▁he ▁became ▁a ▁bre eding ▁st all ion , ▁notable ▁as ▁the ▁s ire ▁of ▁ 2 0 1 5 ▁Tri ple ▁Crown ▁winner ▁American ▁Ph aro ah , ▁ 2 0 1 6 ▁Champion ▁ 2 - Year - Old ▁Col t ▁Classic ▁Empire , ▁and ▁other ▁grad ed - st akes ▁w inners . ▁ ▁Background ▁ ▁the ▁N ile ▁was ▁a ▁bay ▁horse ▁b red ▁in ▁Kentucky ▁by ▁his ▁owner , ▁Z ay at ▁St ables . ▁He ▁was ▁s ired ▁by ▁ 2 0 0 3 ▁Bel mont ▁St akes ▁winner , ▁Empire ▁M aker . ▁His ▁dam , ▁Star ▁of ▁G os hen , ▁was ▁a ▁st akes - win ning ▁daughter ▁of ▁Lord ▁at ▁War , ▁a ▁multiple ▁grade ▁I ▁winner ▁whose ▁vict ories ▁included ▁the ▁ 1 9 8 5 ▁Santa ▁An ita ▁Hand ic ap . ▁During ▁his ▁racing ▁career , ▁the ▁col t ▁was ▁trained ▁first ▁by ▁Bill ▁M ott , ▁and ▁then ▁by ▁Bob ▁B af fert . ▁▁ ▁the ▁N ile ' s ▁unusual ▁name ▁ow es ▁to ▁the ▁fact ▁that ▁The ▁J ockey ▁Club ▁limits ▁application ▁subm issions ▁to ▁ 1 8 ▁characters , ▁including ▁spaces ; ▁thus ▁Z ay at ▁St ables ▁dropped ▁a