Multiple graded stakes winner Mission Approved, winner of the 2011 Woodford Reserve Manhattan Handicap (gr. IT), has retired from racing.
Stud plans for the soon-to-be 10-year-old son of With Approval are pending for the 2014 season. He is to be sold at the January mixed sale at Keeneland, consigned by Bluegrass Thoroughbred Services.
Mission Approved was claimed by Naipaul Chatterpaul in June 2010 for $35,000 and one month later was second to Gio Ponti in the Man o' War Stakes (gr. IT) at Belmont Park. Eleven months later at Belmont, he bested Gio Ponti in the Manhattan Handicap with a wire-to-wire win. He completed his 2011 season with a run in the Japan Cup (Jpn-I).
Bred by Dr. William F. Coyro Jr. out of the Fortunate Prospect mare Fortunate Find, Mission Approved has lifetime earnings of $827,210 with eight wins, five seconds, and one third from 29 starts. In addition to the Manhattan, the bay captured a pair of grade III stakes, the Saranac at Saratoga Race Course as a 3-year-old in 2007, and the Singspiel at Woodbine the following year.
Mission Approved
