Two-time grade I winner The Usual Q. T., who earned more than $1.5 million in his career, has been retired with a sesamoid injury, trainer Jim Cassidy announced March 8.
“There were too many issues this time,” Cassidy said of the 6-year-old Unusual Heat gelding who was bred in California by Carlee Van Kempen, daughter of part-owner Don Van Kempen. “He’s been a great horse. He’s right up there with the best I’ve ever trained along with any other horse I had, including Evening Jewel, Ticker Tape, Diamond Diva, Singhalese … all of them.”
Among The Usual Q. T.’s five stakes wins were the Oak Tree Derby (gr. IIT) and Hollywood Derby (gr. IT) in 2009 and the Eddie Read Stakes (gr. IT) in 2010. He lost eight straight after the Eddie Read through his final race, the San Gabriel Stakes (gr. IIT) in which he finished third on Jan. 16. He was on the sidelines for 7 1/2 months prior to the San Gabriel.
Following his Eddie Read victory, The Usual Q.T. was second in the Woodbine Mile (Can-IT) and third in the Breeders’ Cup Mile (gr. IT) behind champions Goldikova and Gio Ponti .
The consistent bay failed to earn a check only once in his 23 career starts, when he finished ninth in the 2010 Sunshine Millions Classic, which was run on Santa Anita’s synthetic surface.
The Usual Q.T. retired with eight wins (all on turf), six seconds and five thirds, and earnings of $1,531,240 for owners Van Kempen, Michael Nentwig, George Saadeh, and Jeffrey Byer.
