Russell Road Retires at Age 10

There are typically two things that you can count on happening on the track at Hollywood Casino at Charles Town Races come the month of October.  The first is the West Virginia Breeders’ Classics taking place.  The second is Russell Road taking his place in the starting gate for the Breeders’ Classic, trying to tack on another accomplishment to his lengthy resume.

However, after a second place effort in the $100,000 Northern Panhandle at Mountaineer Park on West Virginia Derby day that pushed him over $2 million in career earnings, only one of those two certainties remains as Russell Road – the face of Charles Town’s racing program and flag bearer for West Virginia-breds for the past 8 years – has been retired at age 10.

The gelding by Wheaton owned by Mark Russell and trained by James W. Casey retires with 31 wins from 62 starts and stands behind only Soul of the Matter on the all-time earnings list among West Virginia-breds.

After coming out of his last start on August 6 with a minor ankle injury, Russell and Casey were faced with the option of pushing the horse for one final start or retiring him.  As they’ve done throughout their star’s career, Russell and Casey chose the course of action that they felt was right by the horse.

“At Mountaineer, he suffered a little suspensory pull and we just did a re-check on it the other day,” said Russell.  “We just didn’t think it would be well enough to actually race him.  Really, we could have run him in a couple of months and probably be competitive but we’re not going to do that.  He’s ten and the Breeders’ Classics was probably going to be his last race anyway.  He’s been very good to us.”

Russell Road, bred by Robert Lloyd, was a 2006 foal out of mare Roberta Grump, whose lone career start resulted a Beyer speed figure of 2 but would go on to produce 11 starters, all of whom found the winners circle, with of those five earning north of $200,000 in their careers, before dying in 2014.

As a three-year-old, Russell Road won the unrestricted Blue & Gold on the undercard of the first Charles Town Classic, run in 2009 – or three years before 2016 Charles Town Classic champion Stanford was born.  As a sophomore, he’d face horses like eventual Kentucky Derby morning line favorite I Want Revenge in the Gotham and eventual champion sprinter Big Drama in the Red Legend at Charles Town. The biggest payday of this three-year-old year came when he won his first of three West Virginia Breeders’ Classics by 8 lengths.

However, that 2009 Breeders’ Classic was just one of three he would win, coming back to take the race in 2011 and again as an eight-year-old in 2014.  In addition to the West Virginia Breeders’ Classic, Russell Road notched multiple wins in the A Huevo, Confucius Say, Frank Gall Memorial and It’s Only Money in his career.  All told, he would earn 22 of his 31 lifetime victories in blacktype stakes events at distances spanning 4 1/2 furlongs to 1 1/8 miles.  Incredibly, he would post a blacktype win in every one of seasons through his nine-year-old campaign.

As for what’s next for Russell Road, he’s tentatively slated to lead the post parade for the $500,000 West Virginia Breeders’ Classic on October 8 and have a retirement ceremony the same night.  But in terms of his long term activity, Russell knows he’s a candidate for the retirement blues and needs to remain busy.

“He’ll make any kind of jumper or riding horse and we’re going to explore those possibilities for him.  He’s not the kind of horse that’s going to be happy stomping flies out in the field.  He wants to do a job, he loves being around people, he loves having something to do.  It’s just who he is.  It doesn’t matter if you take him home and put him out in the paddock.  30 minutes later he’s at the gate wanting back in.  He just likes that connection with folks. “

In addition to honoring him at West Virginia Breeders’ Classics XXX, following its running on September 17, Hollywood Casino at Charles Town Races plans to rename the Wild & Wonderful – a race Russell Road hit the board in three times over his career – the Russell Road Stakes, beginning in 2017.

For now, Russell and Casey have another talented West Virginia-bred in Charitable Annuity who will try and defend his Breeders’ Classic crown on October 8 to soften the blow of losing their big horse a little bit.  Despite that, Russell knows the last eight years with his star is something that will be tough to duplicate.

“Charitable Annuity has stepped up and I don’t know if he’ll ever be Russell Road but he’s helped fill the void some.  I just feel blessed to have had Russell (Road) and be a part of it and that whole experience.  A lot of people do this for a lot of years and never come up with anything like this.”

All Time West Virginia-Bred Earnings List

1. Soul of the Matter - $2,302,818

2. Russell Road - $2,001,586

3. Afternoon Deelites - $1,061,193

4. Confucius Say - $1,037,555

5. Lucy’s Bob Boy - $1,024,891

Source: Hollywood Casino at Charles Town Races