Preakness winner Exaggerator retired
Preakness (G1) winner Exaggerator, the only three-year-old colt with three Grade 1 wins in 2016, has been retired from racing and will enter stud at WinStar Farm in Versailles, Kentucky.
"We could not be more excited to add another classic winner of the caliber of Exaggerator to the WinStar stallion roster," said Elliott Walden, WinStar President & CEO. "He is a sound horse that passes all physical exams, but as the only three-year-old to test all the Triple Crown races and summer classics, he's a horse that is asking us for a rest. The fact he remains sound after 15 big-time starts in the last 16 months is a testament to his ability, consistency, fortitude, and class. He is an extreme racehorse -- a tough, durable throwback to the old days, like his sire Curlin."
Exaggerator's retirement comes days after WinStar announced the retirement of Creator, who captured this year's Belmont S. (G1) and Arkansas Derby (G1) in the farm's colors, and his sale to Japanese interests for stud duty.
Exaggerator turned in dominating performances to win the Santa Anita Derby (G1), Preakness, and Haskell Invitational (G1) on off tracks. The dark bay colt was a close runner-up in the Kentucky Derby (G1) to Nyquist and was also second to that rival in the San Vicente (G2) at Santa Anita. Exaggerator was third in the San Felipe (G2) and was unplaced in the Belmont, Travers (G1) and Pennsylvania Derby (G2) in his final start.
"Some have questioned his record on a fast track. However, Exaggerator ran everywhere, in all types of conditions, and always faced the best, from Santa Anita to Saratoga," Walden said.
Exaggerator was also one of the most accomplished two-year-olds of his crop a year ago, earning just shy of a million dollars with marquee victories in the Saratoga Special (G2) and Delta Downs Jackpot (G3). He was also runner-up in the Breeders' Futurity (G1) and finished fourth in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1) at Keeneland, beaten just three lengths after getting forced out wide early in the race.
Campaigned by owners Big Chief Racing, LLC, Head of Plains Partners LLC, Rocker O Ranch, LLC et al, and trained by Keith Desormeaux, Exaggerator retires with earnings of $3,581,120.
"Exaggerator is a special horse," Big Chief Racing's Matt Bryan said. "He took us on the ride of our lives."
A stud fee for Exaggerator will be announced at a later date.
(Jim McCue/Maryland Jockey Club photo)
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