Kodiak Kowboy, whose victory in the Nov. 28 Hill ‘n’ Dale Cigar Mile Handicap (gr. I) at Aqueduct was one of three grade I triumphs this year for the 4-year-old son of Posse, has been retired from racing and will enter stud in 2010 at Tom Simon’s Vinery near Lexington. A fee will be announced later.
A prime candidate for sprint champion, Kodiak Kowboy won two seven-furlong stakes and a six-furlong stakes this year while racing for Vinery Stable and Rock Porter’s Fox Hill Farm and registered 100-plus Beyer Speed Figures in all three. At seven furlongs, he won the Carter Handicap (gr. I) at Aqueduct and the $200,000 Donald Levine Memorial Handicap at Philadelphia Park. He then took the six-furlong Vosburgh Stakes (gr. I) at Belmont Park before his start in the Hill 'n' Dale Cigar Mile, which was the colt's 11th win of his career.
Kodiak Kowboy placed in three stakes this year, including the Forego Stakes (gr. I) and the Alfred G. Vanderbilt Handicap (gr. II), both at Saratoga.
During his career, Kodiak Kowboy won or placed in 18 of 23 races and earned $1,663,363. At 2 in 2007, he won the Saratoga Special Stakes (gr. II), the Bashford Manor Stakes (gr. II) at Churchill Downs, and the Victoria Stakes at Woodbine. He was voted Canada’s champion 2-year-old male. He placed in that year’s Bessemer Trust Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (gr. I) and the Futurity Stakes (gr. II).
As a 3-year-old, Kodiak Kowboy won the Amsterdam Stakes (gr. II) at Saratoga and the Sport Page Handicap (gr. III) at Belmont and placed in the Vosburgh and the Derby Trial Stakes at Churchill Downs.
Kodiak Kowboy was trained first by Steve Asmussen, then by J. Larry Jones, and then by Asmussen in his final two starts.
Bred in Kentucky by Robbie and Susie Lyons’ Hartwell Farm, Kodiak Kowboy is out of the Coronado’s Quest mare Kokadrie, a half-sister to grade I winner West by West.