Grade 2 winner Elite Squadron, a four-year-old Officer colt that hit the board in five consecutive graded stakes, was retired on Monday after developing a soft tissue injury.

“It’s really bittersweet because he was a fantastic racehorse,” owner Tom Walter said. “He really came into his own this season, winning or placing in all of his last five starts, all in graded stakes races.”

Trained by James Baker, Elite Squadron won the Churchill Downs Stakes (G2) on May 3 at Churchill Downs. He also earned runner-up finishes in the Commonwealth Stakes (G2) at Keeneland Race Course and the Triple Bend Invitational Handicap (G1) at Hollywood Park, and was third in the Richter Scale Sprint Handicap (G2) at Gulfstream Park and the Aristides Stakes (G3) at Churchill.

“The plan was to run him in the Phoenix [Stakes (G3)] at Keeneland and then in the Breeders’ Cup, but the injury, although he would have been able to easily come back, was just horrible timing because he’d be out for a couple months,” Walter said. “The amount of interest we received about standing him at stud, though, made the decision much easier.”

Elite Squadron is out of stakes winner Sweet Mama, by High Brite. Walter said stud plans have not been finalized.

Bred in Kentucky by Matt Herbener, Elite Squadron won five of 14 starts with two seconds, and two third-place finishes over three seasons and earned $507,059.
(Source: Thoroughbred Times)