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Leading US stallion Pioneerof the Nile, sire of Triple Crown winner American Pharoah, has died suddenly at the age of 13 at WinStar Farm in Kentucky.

WinStar reported that Pioneerof the Nile was bred to a mare on Monday morning and started acting uncomfortable once he was back in his stall.

He was en route to a vet clinic for treatment when he died.

“We are all extremely saddened by the loss of Pioneerof the Nile,” said WinStar Farm’s Elliott Walden. “He was a superior physical specimen, a Triple Crown sire and a unique personality.”

Bred and owned by Zayat Stables during his racing career, Pioneerof the Nile won the G1 CashCall Futurity and GI Santa Anita Derby and was runner-up in the G1 Kentucky Derby in 2009.

He went to stud in 2010 and spent three years standing at Vinery before transferring to WinStar in 2013.

He was a perennially among the leading sires and was represented by Eclipse 2YO champion Classic Empire in 2016.

Ahmed Zayat took to twitter to express his grief at the passing of his first homebred.

“I’m incredibly shocked and saddened by the sudden loss of my Pioneer of the Nile,” Zayat tweeted.

“He was not only my first homebred he was one of my GREATEST. He was the proud father of American Pharoah and a true sire of sires.

“Thank you to Bob Baffert for training him, thank you to WinStar Farm for standing him and caring for him these last years. He is gone way too soon.”

Pioneerof the Nile’s progeny have grossed over $US35 million to date.

In the sale ring Pioneerof the Nile was represented by yearlings selling up to $1.9 million in 2018.

His sons at stud are led by Coolmore shuttler American Pharoah, who was the third overall leading sire at the 2018 Keeneland September sale, and the multiple graded stakes winner Cairo Prince.