NEWS
Indian Charlie dies of cancer at age 16
Posted: Thursday, December 15, 2011 9:47 AM
INDIAN CHARLIE
To read Airdrie Stud's release on the loss of Indian Charlie, click here.
by Joe Nevills and Tim Nichols
Indian Charlie, a Grade 1 winner and sire of six champions, was euthanized due to complications from Hemangiosarcoma, an aggressive cancer stemming from the lining of the blood vessels.
Trainer Bob Baffert, who conditioned the 16-year-old son of In Excess (Ire) during his racing career, was the first to announce the news Thursday morning on his personal Twitter account, @Midnightlute.
“Very sad to hear that we lost Indian Charlie. Gave us all great memories. Great horse and Sire,” Baffert wrote.
Indian Charlie won four of five career starts, including the 1998 Santa Anita Derby (G1). The Hal Earnhardt homebred also finished third in the 1998 Kentucky Derby (G1). A California-bred out of multiple Grade 3 winner Soviet Sojourn, by Leo Castelli, Indian Charlie retired in 1998 with $616,120.
“He just was a beautiful mover and had a great mind,” Baffert said. “He was so quiet and gentle and a beautiful horse. Conformation-wise, he was a beautiful horse, and he’s thrown that.”
Indian Charlie developed into a standout in the breeding shed, boasting such progeny as Eclipse Award winners Indian Blessing, Fleet Indian, and Uncle Mo, as well as Sovereign Award winner Indian Apple. He has 393 winners, including 65 stakes winners, from 542 starters in ten crops of racing age who have earned $43,067,807 through Wednesday according to Jockey Club statistics.
He stood his four seasons at Vinery in Lexington before shifting to Brereton Jones’ Airdrie Stud in Midway, Kentucky for the 2003 season. He was to stand the 2012 season at Airdrie for a stud fee of $75,000.
“Ever since he was a yearling, he was always a standout, even out in the field,” Baffert said. “I can remember him standing there. Brereton Jones was thinking about moving In Excess to his farm in Kentucky and one of the main reasons we told him, Mike Pegram and I, was we showed him this yearling and it was Indian Charlie.”
In a release, Airdrie Stud said, "Losing Indian Charlie after a challenging battle with Hemangiosarcoma and its complications has been a shock to us all. He was dearly loved by everyone that cared for him on a daily basis. 'Charlie' has been a shining star at Airdrie for many years now. His personality, toughness, and utter determination remained with him throughout treatment. He won many hearts at Hagyard’s, and received an endless supply of much deserved carrots and peppermints while there. Our thanks go out to everyone involved with this fine stallion, and to our shareholders and breeders who faithfully supported Indian Charlie over the years. We would sincerely like to thank Dr. Nathan Slovis and his team at McGee Medical Center for their unrelenting efforts to try and save our stallion."
Joe Nevills is staff writer of Thoroughbred Times; Tim Nichols is internet content editor of Thoroughbred Times
VIDEO: Indian Charlie wins the 1998 Santa Anita Derby