North East Bound retired
Multiple Grade 2 winner NORTH EAST BOUND (D’Accord) has been
retired and sent to his new home at Sunny Oak Farm near Paris,
Kentucky, trainer Bill Perry said Thursday.
“He leaves a big hole in the barn,” said Perry, who
also conditioned multiple Grade 1 winner Formal Gold right before
North East Bound came along. “He’ll be very hard to replace.”
North East Bound earned $1,363,228 from a 50-12-7-3 record
that included 10 stakes wins and eight black-type placings on
both the turf and dirt. Among his victories were scores in the
Maker’s Mark Mile S. (G2), Meadowlands Breeders’ Cup H. (G2) and
Kent Breeders’ Cup S. (G3). The eight-year-old gelding gained
fame when he set the pace in the 2000 Breeders’ Cup Sprint (G1)
at 42-1 before losing by just a neck at the wire to War Chant.
“That was his best race, even though he lost,” Perry
said. “He started from post 14 against the best milers in
the world and he led all the way. He never saw the winner coming,
so he never had a chance to react. I was really proud of him that
day.”
North East Bound made his last start a close sixth-place
finish in the Bob Harding S., but pulled a suspensory after being
checked on the final turn.
“With a younger horse, you would just give the injury
time to heal and bring him back,” his trainer explained.
“But North East Bound is eight, and there’s no time for him
to come back.
“He was just a nice horse to be around, never any
trouble, and all professional racehorse,” Perry added.
“Those kind are very hard to replace.”