Multi-millionaire Russell Road dies of colic at age 12

Russell Road, one of only two West Virginia-breds to earn more than $2 million, died last weekend of colic at age 12, according to James W. Casey, who trained him for nine seasons.

Russell Road went over $2 million in earnings in his final career start, the $100,000 Northern Panhandle Stakes at Mountaineer Park in August 2016. He came out of that race with a "little suspensory pull," according to Casey and was retired the next month when it was determined that he would not sufficiently recover to continue racing.

The only other West Virginia-bred to win $2 million was Soul of the Matter, who was owned and bred by the songwriter and performer Burt Bacharach and trained by Richard Mandella from 1993 to 1996. But unlike Russell Road, Soul of the Matter, who earned $2.3 million, never raced in his home state.

Russell Road dominated the West Virginia-bred ranks at Charles Town for many years. A son of Wheaton bred by Robert Lloyd and owned by Mark Russell, he ran in the track's richest race for statebreds, the West Virginia Breeders' Classic, seven straight years from 2009 to 2015. He won the Classic in 2014, 2011, and 2009, and finished second in the race in 2013 and 2012.

"He had speed and could go a distance," Casey said. "He was well behaved and reasonably sound. He was a good one, for sure."

In all, Russell Road won 31 of 62 starts. He was 26 of 48 at his home base of Charles Town.

The Wild and Wonderful Stakes at Charles Town was named in Russell's Road's honor in 2017. He led the post parade for that race last April.

After his retirement, he was repurposed as a pony horse.