NEWS
Multiple graded stakes winner Mystery Giver retired
Posted: Saturday, July 28, 2007 5:15 PM
MYSTERY GIVER
Lou Hodges Jr. photo
Multiple graded stakes winner Mystery Giver has been retired.
The decision to retire the nine-year-old Dynaformer gelding, out of stakes-placed winner Ioya by Naskra, was made by owner Team Block more than two months after his last start in an allowance/optional claiming race on May 19 at Arlington Park.
“He’s the horse that put Team Block on the map,” trainer Chris Block said. “Whenever any of us are introduced as a member of Team Block, often the person recognizes the name by saying, ‘Oh, you raced Mystery Giver.’ That’s how important Mystery Giver was to the success of our operation.”
Block is part of Team Block’s breeding and racing business along with his father, David Block, his mother, Patricia Block, and his brother, Ryan Block.
“It would be hard for any horse of ours to achieve what Mystery Giver has achieved,” Chris Block said. “We’re certainly going to miss him. It was a long, fun ride, but it was time to stop. The funny thing is—he doesn’t want to—but I don’t want to see him try and run and hurt himself.”
Mystery Giver won the 2003 Robert F. Carey Memorial Handicap (G3) at Hawthorne Race Course and the ’04 Mervin H. Muniz Jr. Memorial Handicap (G2) at Fair Grounds. He also won six other stakes races, including three consecutive victories in the Fair Grounds Breeders’ Cup Handicap from 2002-’04.
Mystery Giver was winless in four starts this season.
Bred in Illinois by David Block and Patricia Block, Mystery Giver is a half brother to Grade 3 winner Ioya Two. He won 13 of 43 career starts and earned $1,244,715 in six seasons. Mystery Giver did not race as a seven-year-old in 2005 due to injury.
Detailed plans for Mystery Giver’s retirement were not immediately released.
