Mike Fox, the 2007 Queen’s Plate Stakes winner for breeder/owner D. Morgan Firestone, has been retired from racing for stallion duty at Firestone Farms near Caledon, Ontario, Canada. The 8-year-old Ontario-bred son of Giant's Causeway will stand for $4,000 (Canadian funds) live foal.
Mike Fox began his racing career at 2 at Woodbine. He won his first start and then ran third in the Cup and Saucer Stakes on turf. He closed out the year with an allowance score.
Mike Fox captured the 1 1/4-mile Queen’s Plate in his first try at that distance with Emma-Jayne Wilson becoming the first female rider to capture Canada's most prestigious race. Mike Fox also contested Canada’s other two classics open to males, the Prince of Wales Stakes and the Breeders’ Stakes (on turf), finishing a respective fourth and fifth. Later that year he ran third in the Ontario Derby.
Mike Fox, who raced sparingly over the next three years, remained in training in 2011 but didn’t start.
“We’d nominate him to races, but they didn’t fill,” said stallion manager Gaius English.
Mike Fox was retired with a record of 5-0-2 from 19 starts and earnings of $813,773.
Bred by Firestone Farms, Mike Fox is out of Canadian graded stakes winner Alexis (by Alzao).