The king of the Cajuns, Star Guitar , has been retired after a sensational career in which he captured 24 of his 30 starts and three consecutive Louisiana-bred horse of the year titles.
The 7-year-old son of Quiet American–Minit Towinit, by Malagra, was forced to retire due to a recurring quarter crack after winning 22 stakes, all in Louisiana, for trainer Al Stall Jr. In his two ventures outside his home state he finished third in the Alysheba Stakes (gr. III) at Churchill Downs and fourth in the Texas Mile (gr. III) at Lone Star Park. He also finished fourth behind Battle Plan, General Quarters, and Awesome Gem in the 2010 New Orleans Handicap (gr. II).
But in Louisiana, he was virtually unbeatable and was riding a 10-race winning streak prior to his retirement.
"I feel happy for the horse, that he's going back home to Clear Creek Stud in Folsom, La. where he was born," Stall said. "He's been good to us every day of his life. I thought his quarter crack from last year was gone, but it showed up in the same place and would have taken a long time for it to grow back healthy. He'd done enough for us so we sent him on his way."
Owned and bred by Brittlyn Stable's Maurice and Evelyn Benoit, Star Guitar retires as the all-time money-winning Louisiana-bred with earnings of $1,749,862. So dominant was he in Louisiana, he was sent off as the odds-on favorite in his last 13 starts.
"Two weeks before he made his career debut, Maurice was in a terrible accident and he's been wheelchair-bound ever since," Stall said. "This horse has kept him going."
Star Guitar's two most productive years came in 2009 at the age of 4, when he won seven of his nine starts for earnings of $532,358, and in 2011, when he was six-for-six, with earnings of $449,904.
It didn't matter at which track he was competing. He won the Premier Night Championship at Delta Downs four times, the Louisiana Champions Day Classic at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots three times, and the Evangeline Mile three times.
With Dr. Fager prominent on his sire’s side and Damascus on his dam's side, Star Guitar's pedigree boasts a powerful cross to two legends and archrivals and Hall of Famers.