Mastery Retired to Claiborne

Mastery | Benoit photo

Cheyenne Stables' 'TDN Rising Star' Mastery (Candy Ride (Arg)&log=">Candy Ride {Arg}–Steady Course, by Old Trieste), who earned the top Beyer Speed Figure (105) of any sophomore male thus far in 2017 when romping home by 6 3/4 lengths in the GII San Felipe S. (video) in March, has been officially retired from racing and arrived Monday at Claiborne Farm, where he will begin his stud career in 2018.

Bred by Arthur Hancock's Stone Farm, Mastery was acquired by Everett Dobson's operation for $425,000 at the 2015 Keeneland September sale and earned his Rising Star with a front-running maiden win over six furlongs in October 2016. The all-the-way winner of his black-type debut in the GIII Bob Hope S. Nov. 19 (video), the dark bay thrashed future Grade I winner Irap (Tiznow) by 7 1/4 lengths in the GI Los Alamitos Futurity (video) to complete a perfect freshman season. A leading winter book chance for the GI Kentucky Derby, Mastery made his return to the races in the San Felipe, drawing off down the lane to an impressive success, but he was pulled up on the gallop out and was subsequently diagnosed with a condylar fracture of his left front leg.

“He was just starting to mature,” trainer Bob Baffert commented. “I'm still sick about him getting hurt. It's safe to say he was on the same path as American Pharoah, the way he was dominating his races.”

A half-brother to the stakes-winning Clear Sailing (Empire Maker), Mastery is a maternal grandson of MGSP Steady Cat (Storm Cat), herself the dam of GSW & GISP Jump Start (A.P. Indy). Steady Cat's daughter Lasting Appeal (A.P. Indy) is responsible for Conquest Windycity (Tiznow), a latest third to Shaman Ghost (Ghostzapper) in the GIII Pimlico Special S.

Mastery retires unbeaten in his four career trips to the post and bankrolled $511,200. A stud fee will be announced at a later date.

 

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