Presious Passion retired after 5 seasons of racing
The 9-year-old gelding, Presious Passion, ran his last race on 10 June, 2012, at Monmouth Park, when he was entered to race over a distance of 1 1/8 miles Grade 2 Monmouth Stakes, a race that he had won back in 2009, but finished 6th in the 2012
edition.
After the race, the decision was taken to retire Presious Passion after a 5 season racing career to Joseph and Helen Barbazon’s farm in Ocala, Fl.
The best season Presious Passion head by some margin was the 2009 season; where he went on to win 4 races out of eight starts with two second place finishes.
The son of Royal Anthem, out of Marquetry mare Princesa’s Passion, Presious Passion kicked off the 2009 season with a brilliant win in the Grade 2 Mac Diarmida Stakes at about 1 3/8 miles over the Gulfstream Park’s turf course.
The start that followed his victory was the Grade 3 Pan American Stakes over the dirt course Gulfstream Park going 1 ¼ miles, and he missed it by a fraction to winner Buddy’s Humor.
Bred in Florida by Helen Barbazon and Joseph Barbazon, Presious Passion won his next two starts at Monmouth Park, including the Monmouth Stakes, and most importantly the Grade 1 United Nations Stakes, where he defeated the likes of Lauro in second and Brass
Hat in third with the winning time of 2 minutes and 10.97 seconds under his regular rider E. Trujillo.
At Arlington Park, Presious Passion had a little hiccup, when he finished a non-threatening eighth in the Grade 1 Arlington Mile, but bounced back in emphatic fashion to take the Grade 1 Hirsch Turf Championship at about 1 ¼ miles over the Santa Anita Park’s
unique turf course.
That win helped Presious Passion to place a strong second place finish in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Turf over at 1 ½ mile at Santa Anita Park.
Mary Hartmann, who trained Presious Passion for owner Patricia A. Generazio was saddened to retire the gelding after keeping his for such a long time.
“It was awfully tough to say good-bye to him and I’ll really miss him,” said Mary Hartmann. “We had a great time together and it was a great run.”
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