Flame Thrower, winning the 2000 Best Pal Stakes under jockey Corey Nakatani, will stand in Florida.
Gary Garber's grade II winner Flame Thrower will stand at stud at Stonerigg's Farm near Morriston, Fla., west of Ocala. He will stand for $8,500 with a live foal guarantee."Flame Thrower was our No. 1 draft choice and we are thrilled to be able to bring him to Florida despite strong competition from Kentucky," said Robert Slack, owner and manager of Stoneriggs. The 3-year-old colt (Saint Ballado--Metromane, by Metrogrand) retired from racing because of an injury suffered during a runner-up effort in the June 9 Riva Ridge Stakes (gr. II) at Belmont Park. Flame Thrower retired with four wins and two runner-up efforts from sevens starts and earnings of $458,200.Bred by Suzanne Collins and trained by Bob Baffert, the colt started his career with four consecutive wins his 2-year-old season. After winning a maiden race at Del Mar, he took the Best Pal Stakes (gr. III), Del Mar Futurity (gr. II), and Norfolk Stakes (gr. II) in Southern California and went off the second choice in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile (gr. I) at Churchill Downs. Second during the early going, he ended up unplaced.Flame Thrower raced twice this year. He ran second in the Maryland Breeders' Cup Handicap (gr. III) in May and missed winning the Riva Ridge by a neck.
