Multiple grade III-placed Racketeer, a gelded son of Awesome Again who won or placed in 26 of 52 career starts, is the newest resident at the Old Friends Thoroughbred retirement facility in Georgetown, Ky.
Bred and initially raced by Frank Stronach's Adena Springs Farm and trained early in his career by the late Hall of Fame conditioner Bobby Frankel, Racketeer had six wins, nine second-place finishes, and 11 thirds while earning $412,190 during seven seasons of competition. The gelding placed in three grade III stakes in California and was victorious in his final start at Fairplex Park on Sept. 25, 2011.
According to Adena, Racketeer was rescued from a feedlot in California earlier this year by representatives of Adena and the California horse rescue organization Neigh Savers. Racketeer was immediately shipped to Adena Springs in Kentucky.
"When he got back to Adena, he recuperated, put on weight, and has been just fantastic," said Adena general manager Eric Hamelback in a statement. "He has such a wonderful attitude, and he's the epitome of what people want in a Thoroughbred. He's sound, strong and raced at the highest level."
Racketeer arrived at Old Friends earlier this week.