Enigmatic Action This Day Retired
by Blood-Horse Staff
Date Posted: 1/16/2005 4:14:45 PM
Last Updated: 1/17/2005 8:58:47 PM

Action This Day retired to Castle Lyons.
Photo: Mike Corrado
Unable to recapture the ability that he displayed in winning the 2003 Breeders' Cup Juvenile (gr. I) at odds of 26-1, the enigmatic Action This Day has been retired and will stand at Castleton Lyons outside of Lexington, Ky., trainer Richard Mandella said Sunday.

Action This Day won the 2003 Eclipse Award as the nation's leading male juvenile after his upset win at Santa Anita.

Mandella said Action This Day leaves next week for Castleton Lyons, whose stallions include Malibu Moon  , sire of Declan's Moon, the overwhelming favorite to win an Eclipse Award next Monday as top male 2-year-old of 2004.

A 4-year-old Kentucky-bred bay colt by Kris S.-Najecam, Action This Day finished eighth of nine in Saturday's San Fernando Breeders' Cup Stakes (gr. II), beaten by 19 lengths. It was his sixth consecutive defeat since winning the Juvenile.

"The lack of success I had in trying to get him back (to his Juvenile form) was one of the most disappointing things I've ever experienced," said Mandella, who won the San Fernando Saturday with Minister Eric.

"He was such a good 2-year-old. Believe me, he was good. He hurt his back when he returned and obviously we underestimated the seriousness of it. If we had it to do again I'd give him six months off, not two (after the 2004 Kentucky Derby), because it must still twinge him when he runs.

"This is a horse that was supposed to be a classic horse. It's so disappointing because he deserved better. I know he got a bad rap but he was a good horse. You don't break your maiden and come back and beat that field he beat in the Breeders' Cup."

Owned by B. Wayne Hughes, Action This Day retired with a 2-1-0 record from nine starts with earnings of $822,484.

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