Retirements 2005

Southern Image © Emily Hufford 2005

Southern Image Retired
by Emily Hufford

One of 2004's top older handicap horses, Southern Image, has been retired from racing due to sore legs. The five-year-old son of Halo's Image had been in training at Del Mar working towards a start in the Pacific Classic when the decision was made to finally retire him. Southern Image hadn't run since June of 2004 when he narrowly lost the Stephen Foster Handicap at Churchill Downs to longshot Colonial Colony.

Before that, Southern Image had won the Pimlico Special (gr. I), Santa Anita Handicap (gr. I), Sunshine Millions Classic, and Malibu Stakes (gr. I). He retired with six wins in eight starts.

Southern Image was owned by Don Blahut, Tom and Jerry Kagele, and Allen and Josh Tepper, and was trained by Mike Machowsky. He will stand at Taylor Made Farm.

Indian Ocean's Last Work © Patty Yount 2005

Indian Ocean Retired
by Emily Hufford

Affirmed Handicap winner Indian Ocean has been retired from racing due to a tendon injury. The three-year-old son of Stormy Atlantic was being pointed for a start in either the West Virginia Derby, Haskell Invitational, or Pacific Classic, when the injury was discovered.

Indian Ocean is owned by Mercedes Stable and was trained by Jay Robbins. In his final race, he finished behind Surf Cat in the Swaps Stakes at Hollywood Park.

Indian Ocean retired with three wins in five lifetime starts.

Madcap Escapade © Emily Hufford 2005

Madcap Escapade Retired
by Emily Hufford

The fantastic four-year-old filly Madcap Escapade was retired after a left front leg injury was detected following a victory in the Princess Rooney Handicap at Calder Race Course on July 10. The Frank Brothers-trainee retired after nine starts, of which she won seven, and she earned $1,052,852.

Last year, Madcap Escapade broke her maiden by ten lengths, then won the Old Hat Stakes, Forward Gal Stakes, and Ashland Stakes (gr. I) before finishing third in the Kentucky Oaks. After an injury was discovered, she was given the rest of the year off and returned this winter to win the Shirley Jones Handicap, Vinery Madison Stakes, and Princess Rooney, with her only 2005 loss coming in the Grade 1 Humana Distaff at Churchill Downs.

Madcap Escapade is owned by Bruce Lunsford.

Eddington's Last Race © Emily Hufford 2005

Eddington Retired
by Emily Hufford

After finally realizing the potential that has been shadowing him since early in his career, Eddington has been retired. The four-year-old son of Unbridled was last seen winning the Pimlico Special (gr. I) at Pimlico the day before the Preakness Stakes, a race that Eddington finished third in last year. He also won the Calder Derby on turf last year and the Gulfstream Park Breeders' Cup Handicap this year.

Eddington will stand at Claiborne Farm, where his sire Unbridled stood. He was trained by Mark Hennig throughout his career and was owned by Peter Willmott.

Eddington is out of the Chief's Crown mare Fashion Star. He retired with $1,216,760 in earnings.

Ghostzapper Before the Met Mile © Sarah K Anderson 2005

Ghostzapper Retired
by Emily Hufford

Not even two weeks after a mind boggling, brilliant victory in the Met Mile, last year's Horse of the Year and racing's superstar, Ghostzapper, was retired due to a sesamoid injury. The five-year-old son of Awesome Again left the racing world with nine wins in eleven starts, a modest racord for a five-year-old, but those nine wins will stand out in memory for a long time. His resume included stakes races from 6 1/2 furlongs to 1 1/4 miles, two Eclipse Awards, and some of the fastest speed figures ever.

Ghostzapper was trained by Bobby Frankel and owned by Frank Stronach. He will stand at stud in Kentucky at Adena Springs alongside his sire. Ghostzapper is out of the mare Baby Zip, who is also the dam of stakes winner City Zip, who stands at Lane's End Farm.

Consolidator © Emily Hufford 2005

Consolidator Out of the Derby, Retired
by Emily Hufford

The first major Derby week injury occurred Monday when it was announced that D. Wayne Lukas trained Consolidator would miss the Run for the Roses due to a cracked sesamoid. The three-year-old son of Storm Cat, who was retired after the injury, was most recently fifth in the Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland, won last year's Lane's End Breeders' Futurity and this year's San Felipe Stakes. He is owned by Bob and Beverly Lewis.

The Lewises and Lukas have another starter in the Derby, longshot Going Wild. Consolidator's injury leaves 20 horses, including supplemental entry Greeley's Galaxy and stablemate Don't Get Mad, pointing for the race.

Sweet Catomine © DK Photonews 2005

Sweet Catomine Retired
By Emily Hufford

The popular but currently controversial three-year-old filly Sweet Catomine has been retired and will be sent to Kentucky to be bred to A.P. Indy. The retirement follows a fifth-place finish in the Santa Anita Derby that resulted in a lawsuit and several investigations.

Owner Martin Wygod would not discuss the specifics of why the filly was retired, but going into the Santa Anita Derby she had bled in a workout and had problems with her feet.

Last year, Sweet Catomine won the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies, Del Mar Debutante, and Oak Leaf Stakes. This year she won the Santa Anita Oaks and retires with five wins in seven starts. She was trained by Julio Canani during her racing career.

A.P. Adventure Retired
By Amelia Baldree

This past weekend, the retirement of Grade I winner A.P. Adventure was announced. Owned by Bob and Beverly Lewis, the 4-year-old daughter of A.P. Indy is booked to Storm Cat. Her last win came in the Grade I Las Virgenes Stakes last February and she has subsequently failed in six starts since then. She last ran on March 12 in the Grade I Santa Margarita Invitational Handicap where she finished fifth. She retires with a record of 9-3-1-3 and earnings of $355,080.

Yearly Report Retired
By Emily Hufford

Yearly Report, who won the Black Eyed Susan Stakes at Pimlico last year, as well as several other stakes, has been retired. The four-year-old daughter of General Meeting was found to have an injury after the Sunshine Millions Distaff. Yearly Report will be bred to Gone West.

Out of the Half a Year mare Fiscal Year, Yearly Report also won the Stonerside Stakes at Lone Star Park by over 9 lengths in track record time, the Delaware Oaks, and the the Santa Ynez Stakes.

Yearly Report has a two-year-old full sister named Gemstone Meeting. Fiscal Year is also the dam of a three-year-old named Hatfield Creek and a yearling by High Demand.

Senor Fango Retired
By Emily Hufford

Senor Fango, a stakes winning three-year-old son of Mud Route, has been retired. The dark bay gelding injured a sesamoid at Santa Anita last week. Out of the Believe It mare Creyente, Senor Fango, whose biggest win came in the Graduation Stakes at Del Mar, was trained by Jerry Dutton.

Creyente has a two-year-old filly named Wager of Gold, by Valid Wager.

Action This Day Retired
By Emily Hufford

2003 Eclipse Award champion Action This Day, who won that year's Breeders' Cup Juvenile, has been retired. The four-year-old son of Kris S, out of Najecam, was winless in all of his starts since the Breeders' Cup. He was injured during the running of the San Felipe Stakes, his second race of 2004, and proceeded to run very poorly in the Blue Grass Stakes before a sixth place finish in the Kentucky Derby. After a break, he returned to the races on December 26 at Santa Anita with another poor finish.

Richard Mandella trained the colt for B. Wayne Hughes. Action This Day will retire to Castleton Lyons Farm in Lexington, Kentucky, for a fee of $10,000 for 2005.

Action This Day has a two-year-old sister named Dynacam, by Dynaformer.

Tizbud Retired
By Emily Hufford

First came Budroyale, and then his brilliant little brother, Tiznow. Next up to take the throne would be the cleverly-named Tizbud, a son of Cee's Tizzy, who was a full brother to not only those two stars but also the flashy Tizdubai. Tizbud did win the California Cup Classic in 2003, but did not run for an entire year after that race, and was retired this week as a five-year-old with only eight starts to his name.

Tizbud was trained by John Sadler throughout his career. The California-bred will stand at stud, likely in his home state. He was campaigned by Cees Stable.