BY LAURIE ROSS
Some stallions take a few crops to find their footing. Adios Charlie (Indian Charlie – Teak Totem, by Northern Afleet) never needed the time. A Grade 1 winner and Ocala Stud standout, he arrived at stud with a pedigree built for the job and delivers versatile, precocious babies that win races and hold their value in the sales ring.
AT THE RACES
Bred by Brylynn Farm, Inc., Adios Charlie caught veteran trainer Stanley Hough’s eye at the 2010 Ocala Breeders’ Sales March 2-year-old in training sale. He and Robert Sahn acquired the striking bay for $400,000.
Built like his sire, Santa Anita Derby (Grade 1)-winner Indian Charlie, Adios Charlie is a strong, athletic horse with a powerful shoulder, a muscular hip and a slightly downhill frame. This conformation pointed more toward speed than stretch-running stamina.
He showed exactly that at the races, graduating by six-and-three-quarters lengths going six-and-a-half furlongs at Gulfstream Park in his second start in 2011 before returning to capture the one-mile Jerome Stakes (G2) over a salty field that included future Grade 1-winner Justin Phillip, plus Astrology and Rattlesnake Bridge, second in the Preakness and Travers Stakes, respectively.
Hough conditioned Adios Charlie to stretch his miler speed to place second, beaten a head after a wide trip in the Peter Pan (G2). He tried once more in the Dwyer (G2), but again had to settle for second-best behind the loose-on-the-lead Dominus.
After some time off, Adios Charlie prepped for the Florida Sunshine Millions Classic in a second level, $62,5000 optional claiming at Gulfstream, winning by three-and-a-quarter lengths over an accomplished field that included stakes winner and multiple graded-placed Uptowncharlybrown. Unfortunately, he sustained an injury in the Classic and entered stud in 2012 with a record of three wins, three seconds from seven starts and $251,090 in earnings.
PEDIGREE
Adios Charlie is one of the few representatives of the important Grey Sovereign line, one of three main sons of Nasrullah, the others being Bold Ruler, whose descendants run primarily through A.P. Indy and Red God, who shows up through Blushing Groom and his sons Rahy, Rainbow Quest and Runaway Groom.
Indian Charlie (In Excess (Ire) – Soviet Sojourn, by Leo Castelli), was one of the most significant sons of In Excess and standout speed influences of his era, responsible for champions such as 2006 Champion Older mare, Fleet Indian 2007 Champion Juvenile Filly and 2008 Champion Sprinter, Indian Blessing and 2010 Champion Juvenile Uncle Mo, who evolved into a sire of sires in his own right.
The class in Adios Charlie’s distaff line is centered in the first two generations of an evolving family. The third foal out of the Florida-bred Teak Totem (Northern Afleet – Teaksberry Road, by High Honors), his older half-brother, gelding Streakin’ Mohican (Songandaprayer), was a multiple stakes-winning sprinter and veteran of 39 starts.
Teak Totem found her calling as a turf miler, winning two allowance class races and the Aspidistra Handicap all at Calder.
Her full brother, Teaks North, was capable on dirt, good enough to win at the allowance level and place in the Discovery Handicap (G3), but, like his sister, found his happy place on the lawn, excelling from mile-and-a-a mile-and-a-quarter with Grade 1 victories in the 2011 Gulfstream Park Turf Handicap and United Nations as well as the Monmouth Stakes (G3) across a 34-race career.
Showing the versatility of the family, their half-brother, Florida-bred Wooden Phone (Pick Up the Phone), a grandson of Phone Trick, posted a two-length upset over Tiznow in the 2001 Strub (G2) and placed in the Santa Anita (G1) and Oaklawn (G1) handicaps, among a trio of Grade 1 placings from seven furlongs to 10 furlongs.
A multiple Grade 2 winner from seven to nine furlongs, damsire Northern Afleet (Afleet – Nuryette, by Nureyev) transferred his tough, hard-trying qualities to the breeding shed, producing 77 stakes winners, including champions Afleet Alex, Amazombie, Negligee, and World Approval. He is also the broodmare sire of 52 stakes winners, including 2023 Gamely (G1) victress Macadamia (BRZ).
AT STUD
It is said that milers make the best sires, and Adios Charlie is fulfilling that role. His progeny win on all surfaces, and like their sire, they’re best from sprints to middle distances, hard-trying and honest throughout.
As of early 2026, he’s sired 17 stakes winners, led by 2018 Cigar Mile victor, Patternrecognition.
Florida-bred son Tank captured a trio of stakes at Gulfstream and Tampa Bay Downs before finishing fourth in an exciting blanket finish, beaten a head and nose for second, in the 2025 Belmont Derby (G1).
Daughter Jean Elizabeth was a win machine, never off the board in 21 starts. She reeled off eight consecutive stakes wins at five different tracks, including the Ontario Fashion Stakes and Whimsical Stakes, both Grade 3. Now a broodmare, she has a 2023 colt and 2024 filly by Into Mischief and a 2025 colt by Munnings.
The 2019 Florida champion sire and currently ranked third on the state’s general sire list, Adios Charlie gets horses that hit the ground running, literally. More than a third of his winners have broken their maiden early and buyers at the 2-year-olds-in-training sales have taken notice.
“I call him ‘the poor man’s Uncle Mo,’” Ocala Stud’s David O’Farrell said. “His foals are good looking, they run early, they run often and they win. And they sell well. You can’t ask for much more than that.”
The sales record backs him up. Daughter Stone Silent posted the fastest quarter-mile time of :20 2/5 at the 2022 OBS March Sale, then went on to earn $391,353 as a multiple-stakes winner.
More recently, son Ecoro Seed, brought $410,000 from Narvick International at the 2025 OBS March Sale. Racing in Great Britain, he won his debut and returned to finish third in an allowance contest.
Adios Charlie was the leading Florida sire in 2019 and is consistently among the top three on the general sire list, numbers that reflect more than a decade of quiet, steady production.
For Florida breeders, the case is straightforward: a proven miler sire from the Indian Charlie line, getting precocious juveniles that are honest through their careers, and useful on every surface. At $3,000 stands and nurses for 2026, the value proposition is as uncomplicated as the winners he gets.
Return to the April 22 issue of Wire to Wire
