LEXINGTON, Ky. -- English champion Height of Fashion, the dam of 1989 Epsom Derby winner Nashwan and four other stakes winners, died of old age on July 29 at Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid al Maktoum's Shadwell Farm in Lexington, according to farm officials. The mare was 21 and was in foal to A. P. Indy.

"She was the cornerstone of Shadwell, always has been," farm manager Rick Nichols said Wednesday. "We've had her since day one, and she gave us a lot of nice foals. She'll truly be missed. She was the queen of the farm."

Height of Fashion began her illustrious career as a member of Queen Elizabeth II's racing string, but was sold as a 3-year-old to Sheikh Hamdan in a private deal reportedly worth $2 million. A daughter of Bustino and the Queen's Hussar mare Highclere, Height of Fashion was a noteworthy runner in her own right. Height of Fashion won five English stakes in her career, including the Group 2 Princess of Wales's, Group 3 May Hill, and Group 3 Hoover Fillies Mile, and was named England's champion 2-year-old filly of 1981.

As a broodmare, she excelled even further. Her first four foals were standouts. The first, Alwasmi, became a Group 3 winner in England. He was followed by Group 2 winner Unfuwain; multiple Group 1 winner Nashwan; and Mukddaam, a Group 2-placed stakes winner. Height of Fashion later produced stakes winner Sarayir and stakes-placed runners Bashayer and Wijdan.

Height of Fashion has been buried at Shadwell, where she had lived since being imported to the United States in 1983.