Louisiana-Bred Standout Sprinter Monte Man Retired
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Photo: Hodges Photography / Lou Hodges Jr.
Monte Man wins the Louisiana Champions Day Sprint Stakes for the second straight year at Fair Grounds Race Course
Ivery Sisters Racing's Monte Man , who scored his second consecutive Louisiana Champions Day Sprint Stakes victory last month at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots, has been retired at 9.
Trainer Ron Faucheux told Fair Grounds publicity that Val Murrell, who bred the gelding in Louisiana, is "happy to take him in." Murrell owns Clear Creek Stud in Folsom, La., where Monte Man's sire, Custom for Carlos , stands.
Faucheux said Monte Man did not exit a workout last week as he hoped.
"At this point, being a 9-year-old, he's been so great to us, we'd rather see him have a happy life from this point forward," he noted.
Claimed for $25,000 by Ivery Sisters Racing in October 2017, Monte Man finishes his career with 18 victories from 50 starts and earnings of $794,223. He also twice won the Costa Rising Stakes at Fair Grounds and the Louisiana Legends Sprint Stakes at Evangeline Downs and on single occasions, won three other stakes races in the state.
"I feel honored to have trained him throughout that process," Faucheux said. "He's been a barn favorite, a fan favorite, a special horse—you could hear it in John Dooley's emotional call of his last race."
In that memorable call of the Dec. 11 race, Dooley exclaimed: "Here comes the gladiator, Monte Man, with that battler's heart for Adam Beschizza. Monte Man now an 18-time winner—well done Monte Man!"