Booklet, retired at age 4.
John C. Oxley announced the retirement of his grade I winner and Florida champion Booklet from racing because of an injured right front leg. The 4-year-old son of Notebook won half his 14 races and earned $989,460.Bred by Ginger Parker and Charles A. Baldree Jr., Booklet was bought privately by Oxley in January of 2002 and turned over to trainer John Ward Jr. He promptly won the Holy Bull Stakes (gr. III) at Gulfstream Park and followed up with a score in the Fountain of Youth Stakes (gr. I) at Gulfstream in February. That spring he ran second in the Toyota Blue Grass Stakes (gr. I) at Keeneland. Booklet was named Florida's Horse of the Year and champion 3-year-old male of 2002.Booklet, who was produced from the Bob's Dusty mare Crafty Bobbie, raced as a 2-year-old for Philip and Marcia Cohen in partnership with trainer Steve Klesaris, winning four of five races, two of which were stakes. This year, he ran second in the Ocala Breeders' Sales Co. Classic Stakes in January and finished fourth in the March 2 New Orleans Handicap (gr. II) in what was his last start.Oxley, who retired his Kentucky Derby (gr. I) winner Monarchos to stand at the Hancock family's Claiborne Farm near Paris, Ky., has not yet decided on a stud farm for Booklet.
