Friendly Island, runner-up in last year's TVG Breeders' Cup Sprint (gr. I), has been retired from racing because of a problem ankle. Owner Stuart Subotnick had planned to retire the 6-year-old son of Crafty Friend at the end of the year, but since the horse would miss valuable training time, it was decided to retire him now. Friendly Island was voted 2006 New York-bred champion male sprinter and older male.
Friendly Island, who currently is stabled at Subotnick's Anstu Stables near Millbrook, N.Y., started his career in a big way with a 17 1/4-length score at Belmont Park in his first start. He was a stakes winner all four years he raced, with his scores coming in this year's Palos Verdes Handicap (gr. II), last year's Maryland Breeders' Cup Sprint Handicap (gr. III), and consecutive runnings of the Hudson Handicap.
Friendly Island not only ran second to Thor's Echo in the Breeders' Cup Sprint, but placed in four other stakes, including the Forego Stakes (gr. I) and Gulf News Dubai Golden Shaheen (UAE-I). He retired with eight wins from 19 races and earnings of $1,369,714.
Bred in New York by Kildare Stud and Adrian Regan, Friendly Island is out of the winning Ogygian mare Island Queen. Subotnick is in the process of syndicating Friendly Island.