Drosselmeyer retires after his magnificent win in the Breeders’ Cup Classic
Breeders’ Cup Classic win or no win, Drosselmeyer was expected to retire after participating in America’s most important race. The 4-year-old colt finished second to Flat Out in the Grade 1 Jockey Club Gold Cup at Belmont Park and in his next start landed the Classic made a difficult decision to retire the colt keeping in mind his recent performances.
If they, WinStar Farm, had deviated from Drosselmeyer’s original plans, there would be a possibility that he would have done well at 5 as a older horse, but the decision was finalised on 18 November, 2011, to officially retire Drosselmeyer to stud and he will stand at WinStar Farm in Versailles, Ky in 2012.
His stud fee was declared to be $17,500 stands and nurses.
“Drosselmeyer came out of the Classic so good that it gave us cause for pause,” said Elliott Walden, president & CEO of WinStar. “We knew he had what it took to be one of the top older horses in the country, and I think we saw that with how he came to hand in his last two starts. So it made for a difficult decision."
"We took some time to think about all of our options, and we came to the conclusion that it was best for both Drosselmeyer and WinStar Farm to retire him and go out as a Breeders' Cup Classic champion.”
Bill Mott trained son of Distorted Humor, out of mare Golden Ballet by Moscow Ballet, Drosselmeyer after winning the Classic joined A.P. Indy in an exclusive club of only two horses who have won the Grade 1 Belmont Stakes and have gone on to win the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Classic as well.
Drosselmeyer in the 2011 season represented his connections seven races and out of those he won twice as well as finished second twice as well.
Apart from the Breeders’ Cup Classic win, Drosselmeyer had claimed the One Count Stakes earlier this year in May, at Belmont Park, his favoured venue where he also won the Belmont Stakes in 2010.
With earnings of $3,728,170, Drosselmeyer won 5 races out of 15 career starts.
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