Ursis Des Caillons retires at age 16

Northfield, Ohio…January 1, 2024…Today—January 1—is party day for all harness racing horses as tradition has it that all of our four footed “family members” become a year old on this day.

One such horse that will now enjoy the “Life of Riley” in retirement is the French bred gelding Ursis Des Caillons (Kool Du Caux), who, today, turns 16-years-old.

Traditionally, horses are forced to take off their shoes when they reach 15 but, with horses having an “amateur exemption” of sorts, they get an extra year on the track, if any owner or trainer approves.

Foaled in 2008 and raised in France, his earlier years on the track in France were in distances up to 1 7/8 miles before coming overseas to the U.S.A. in the middle part of 2018 as a 10-year-old.

He came over with some credentials, too, with the equivalent of $298,314 on his resume.

He made his first U.S. start in a qualifier on July 13, 2018 and, in an unusual qualifier of 1 1/4 miles, showed his immediate potential by winning in 2:30 4/5.

On to the French-American Trotting Series at Yonkers, “Ursis” won his first start at 1 1/4 miles in 2:26.2—:27.4, followed that up by handily capturing the next leg at 1 1/2 miles in 3:01.3 and, then, the third leg of the series at that same 1 1/2 mile distance in 2:27.2 off of a mile timed in 2:00.

He made a miscue early in the Final of that event from the eight post but rallied to finished fourth in a game effort.

Since then, he made winning appearances at Philadelphia Park, Miami Valley Raceway, Scioto Downs, Dayton Raceway, Pocono Downs, Yonkers Raceway, Saratoga and The Meadows with a final tally of 18 wins in the U.S. and $233,527 in bounty on this side of the Atlantic to go along with a 1:54 mark as an 11-year-old.

As a 15-year-old in 2023, his number was atop the tote-board just a single time—at 67 to 1—and made his final appearance on New Year’s Eve “eve” before a winner’s circle celebration marked the end of his gallant career.

Owned by Fox Racing, Inc., Ursis Des Caillons is one of a vanishing breed of horses that actually make it to retirement age in this era of speed.

Frosty Affair, a 16-year-old trotter competing in amateur events at Pompano Park, won a race in 2004, but that is a rarity in this day and age.

Of course, prior to age restrictions for horses competing, there were several horses in competition that were in their 20’s racing, including Abax at 26-years-old (in the early 1950’s), Baldwin, 24, Ada Symbol, 23, and Lord Sherbrooke, 21, who raced against his five-year-old son Lord Sherbrooke II…and beat him in a race!

In summing up Ursis Des Caillons, trainer Justin Ferrari lamented, “He’s just a rare type of equine athlete that would love to continue to ply his trade on the racetrack, but it’s time for him to enjoy some well-earned retirement where he can romp in the fields and enjoy life.

“He has certainly earned it!”

by John Berry, for GLADA