Scooter Roach, one of Illinois’ most successful state-breds, was retired from racing and sent to the Illinois Equine Humane Center (ILEHC) near Elgin, Ill. The 11-year-old gelding retired with 15 wins and 25 placings from 88 starts and earnings of $842,754 during 10 years of racing.
“He’s sound and is in good health,” said ILEHC founder and president Gail Vacca. “After he enjoys a little vacation, we’ll point him to a new career, a little dressage and jumping.”
Scooter Roach raced since last November for trainer Charles Lawson.
According to an ILEHC release, an article in Daily Racing Form in March highlighting Scooter Roach’s racing career and upcoming participation in a low-level claiming event at Beulah Park sparked a movement among several of Scooter's former Illinois-based connections and long-time fans to launch an effort to retire the gelding and bring him home to Illinois. ILEHC agreed to lend a hand after one of his fans contacted the outfit.
A fundraising effort began to cover the cost of claiming the gelding when he was next entered to race. It was anticipated that he would next be entered to race either April 27 at Beulah or May 1 at River Downs. When that didn't happen, concern grew among his fans that something might be amiss, so a decision was made to call Lawson to check on Scooter Roach's condition and propose a deal for the horse’s retirement.
“Only minutes into my conversation with Mr. Lawson, it was plain to see that he had a genuine love and respect for this old campaigner, and once assured that Scooter would have a wonderful life with us here at the ILEHC, the deal was made and plans were cemented to bring Scooter home to Illinois,” Vacca said in the release.
Scooter Roach (Mi Cielo--Heroic Dreams, by Mr. Leader) scored his two biggest wins in Illinois. He captured the 2002 Hawthorne Derby (gr. IIIT) and the 2004 Robert F. Carey Memorial Handicap (gr. IIIT) at Hawthorne. During his career, he won or placed in 10 added-money races.
Mr. and Mrs. Terrell Gore were the breeders of Scooter Roach.