Beau's Town retired

Beau's Town, a nine-time stakes winner who for years ranked as one of the best sprinters in the Midwest, has been retired, his trainer, Cole Norman, said Thursday.

Norman said , 8, did not come out of a recent work to his satisfaction, and he and owner Dave Hulkewicz made the decision to retire the gelding, who will live out his days on Norman's farm in Louisiana.

"I think he has races left in him, but we thought this was best," said Norman. "He's going out a winner."

Beau's Town won the $50,000 King Cotton at Oaklawn in his last start Feb. 4. He had returned from a 14-month layoff one start earlier and was second by a neck in the $250,000 Duncan F. Kenner Breeders' Cup at the Fair Grounds meet at Louisiana Downs on Jan. 14.

During his time away from the races, Beau's Town had a small bone chip removed from an ankle. His greatest career win came in the Grade 2 Bing Crosby Breeders' Cup at Del Mar in 2003.

Beau's Town, by Beau Genius, also had particular success at Oaklawn, where he won four stakes, including the Grade 3 Count Fleet Sprint Handicap in 2003. In all, Beau's Town won 13 of 23 starts and $697,850.