Australian champion juvenile and 2016 G1 Longines Golden Slipper S. hero Capitalist (Aus) (Written Tycoon {Aus}–Kitalpha {NZ}, by Fusaich Pegasus) has been retired to Newgate Farm, NSW, Australia the farm announced Monday. The 'TDN Rising Star' from the barn of trainers Peter and Paul Snowden, had sustained a small fetlock chip in his final piece of work prior to the Nov. 5 G1 Darley Classic S. The recovery time would have put the chestnut out through the Australian autumn, so the decision was made to retire Capitalist and prepare him for the 2017 Southern Hemisphere breeding season.
“Capitalist was just the perfect 2-year-old, blessed with a huge amount of precocity, ability, and an excellent temperament,” co-trainer Peter Snowden said. “I am certain that without this injury he would have gone very close in the Darley Classic, as his trackwork at Flemington was exceptional.”
An easy three-length winner at first asking at Randwick last October, Capitalist won the Newgate Breeders Plate, as well as the Jeep Magic Millions 2-Year-Old Classic prior to his first loss in the G2 Todman S. in March. He rebounded to take the Gold Slipper later that month to seal his championship season and also placed third in the G2 Star Roman Consul S. as a 3-year-old. In all, the son of Written Tycoon retires with a record of 7-4-1-1 and earnings of $2,607,516.
Added pilot Blake Shinn, “Capitalist was the best 2-year-old I've ever ridden, in the Breeders' Plate it was like driving a Rolls-Royce. He was breathtaking in the Magic Millions and outstanding against a top-class field in the Golden Slipper.”
“Capitalist ticked off a number of firsts, the first colt to win the Magic Millions and the Golden Slipper, and the highest-earning juvenile in history,” remarked James Harron of James Harron Bloodstock, who purchased the chestnut for A$165,000 out of the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale and managed his racing career for an ownership group. “I am privileged to be associated with such a freak of a racehorse and such a wonderful group of owners. To have a champion 2-year-old who is also a 10/10 physical marks Capitalist as a hugely exciting stallion prospect, and a huge thanks also have to go to Team Snowden and Blake Shinn for Developing Capitalist to such amazing heights.”
The second foal out of the winning Fusaichi Pegasus mare Kitalpha (NZ), Capitalist's second dam is the G3 Blue Diamond Preview S. heroine Compulsion (Danehill), herself a full-sister to champion 2-year-old, MG1SW and Golden Slipper heroine Merlene (Danehill), as well as a half-sister to Australian MG1SW Miss Pennymoney (Aus) (Brocco). This is also the family of fellow Aussie Group 1 winner Dear Demi (Aus) (Dehere).
Newgate's managing director Henry Field said, “Australia is all about 2-year-old racing and to have a champion 2-year-old standing at Newgate is what everyone strives for. Capitalist is the embodiment of what works in Australia–he will be heavily supported by his group of owners, who make up some of the leading breeders in Australia, to give him every chance of becoming a champion sire, as well as being a champion racehorse.”
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