NY Bred Champ Fleet Indian Dies of Colic

Fleet Indian, one of the few New York-bred runners ever honored with an Eclipse Award when voted the older mare championship in 2006, has died. The 10-year-old passed away Saturday night due to complications from colic, according to published reports.

Bred by Thomas/Lakin and owned by Paul Saylor, Fleet Indian was trained by Todd Pletcher. Though she did not win her first stakes until age four -- taking the Montauk Handicap for New York-breds -- the dark bay made a seamless transition to open stakes the following year.

Fleet Indian was invincible for much of 2006, taking the Grade 3 Next Move, Grade 3 Sixty Sails, Obeah, Grade 2 Delaware Handicap, Grade 1 Personal Ensign and Grade 1 Beldame in succession. The margins of victory were generally big, though she had to gut out the Beldame score by a head.

Favored at 5-2 in that year's Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Distaff at Churchill Downs, Fleet Indian unfortunately suffered a left front suspensory ligament injury during the race and did not finish. She was immediately retired with a mark of 19-13-0-1, $1,704,513.