Bird Song , a multiple graded stakes-winning homebred for Marylou Whitney, has been retired, according to trainer Ian Wilkes.
"He's been a special horse to us on the racetrack," Wilkes said. "He's retired happy, healthy, and sound, so that's really what's most important in this game."
A five-time winner, Bird Song's most significant victory came May 5 in the $400,000 Alysheba Stakes Presented by Big Fish Casino (G2) at Churchill Downs. The 4-year-old son of Unbridled's Song also captured the Fred W. Hooper Stakes (G3) at Gulfstream Park in March. He lost his last three starts, with his most recent run a sixth-place finish in the Sept. 23 Kelso Handicap (G2).
"I still don't think we saw his full potential," Wilkes said. "This horse has won at all distances throughout his career. He was very versatile on the track."
Out of Whitney's homebred champion Bird Town, Bird Song retires with 5-2-1 record from 14 starts and $512,707 in earnings.
"As Marylou and I said, the horse gave us everything and owes us nothing," said John Hendrickson, Whitney's husband. "We were delighted to have a multiple graded stakes winner out of a champion. What more could you hope for?
"We were sad, but we knew there was something up, because his last performance wasn't his normal self. But several farms are interested, so hopefully he'll land in a nice career. As we've always said, these horses don't ask to be born, so we owe it to all of our horses to take care of them."
