Millionaire Mister Marti Gras Retired

Lothenbach Stable's homebred multiple graded stakes-winning millionaire Mister Marti Gras has been retired from racing and is ready to start his second career, trainer Chris Block said. 

The 9-year-old Kentucky-bred Belong to Me gelding, who made his first start in the Chicago area at age 2, ran his final race Sept. 3 at Arlington International Racecourse.

"He's (always) gone out there and given me more than 150%, except the last two starts, which tells me he's ready to retire," Block said. "I knew he would tell me when he's done. I'm proud to say he retires extremely sound and happy. He deserves a chance at a second career."

Bred by his owners, Mister Marti Gras is out of the stakes-placed mare Miss Marta, by Cure the Blues. In eight seasons on the track, he posted an 11-15-6 career line from 58 starts that include four stakes wins, a further 15 stakes placings, and $1,194,027 in earnings. His record is topped by two grade III victories in 2011: the Ack Ack at Churchill Downs and Washington Park Handicap at Arlington.

"Mister Marti Gras has been what I call the blue-collar racehorse," Block said. "He's been healthy his entire career, he's never had anything wrong with him. Year in and year out he's been very competitive at a high level on all surfaces—turf, dirt and synthetic."

 

The chestnut gelding was very competitive in graded stakes company, placing second or third in grade II and grade III races 14 times at the age of 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8. He finished second in the Hanshin Cup (gr. III) at Arlington the past three years before dwindling this year and finishing off the board. His final win came at Tampa Bay Downs April 6.

 

"We'll let him unwind in the barn, and then the plan is to find him a path to his next career. He's got a lot of years of life left in him as an athlete, just not as a racehorse," Block said. "I think he would make a great hunter-jumper or dressage prospect. He has that size and presence that I think would be good for that."