LEXINGTON, Ky. -- Majestic Light, sire of Lite Light and more than 65 other stakes winners, died on July 7 during colic surgery, according to an official at Claiborne Farm in Paris, Ky. He was 27.

Majestic Light, a bay son of Majestic Prince and the Ribot mare Irradiate, covered 27 mares this year, according to Claiborne assistant manager Gus Koch. Koch said that the farm does not know yet how many of those mares got in foal but added that Majestic Light "has always been a very fertile horse, so we expect those numbers to be pretty good."

Koch said that Majestic Light had shown signs of colic late last week and was taken to the Hagyard Davidson McGee veterinary clinic for surgery on Friday. Surgeons there discovered that the stallion had a ruptured liver, and the horse died on the operating table.

To date, Majestic Light has sired 20 crops to race for total progeny earnings of more than $35 million. Though he has not sired a North American champion, two of his daughters have taken top honors in major racing countries overseas: Lacovia was named France's 3-year-old filly in 1986, and Nishino Flower topped Japan's 2-year-old and 3-year-old filly divisions in 1991 and '92.

As a racehorse, Majestic Light won eight stakes, on dirt and turf, and placed in four during his three-season racing career. Among those were four Grade 1 races, the Swaps and Man o' War Stakes and the Amory L. Haskell and Monmouth Invitational handicaps. In 31 starts, Majestic Light racked up a career record of 11-5-5, for total earnings of $650,158.