Albertus Maximus , winner of the 2009 Donn Handicap (gr. I) and the previous year’s TVG Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile, has been retired from racing for stallion duty in 2012 at Sheikh Hamdan’s Shadwell Farm near Lexington. The 7-year-old son of Albert the Great was retired because of injuries that occurred two years ago in the Dubai World Cup Sponsored by Emirates Airline (UAE-I), where he finished sixth as the favorite..
“We realized that Albertus was not going to return to his grade I form so the decision was made to retire him to stud.” said Rick Nichols, vice president and general manager of Shadwell Farm. “He is a strongly made horse with obvious talent on both synthetic and dirt, and raced successfully on both coasts.”
Albertus Maximus won the Dirt Mile on a synthetic surface at Santa Anita and the Donn on dirt at Gulfstream in consecutive races. He also captured the Windy Sands Handicap at a mile at Del Mar and was graded stakes-placed three times.
During his career Albertus Maximus won or placed in 11 of 17 races and earned $1,328,230. The Kentucky-bred runner made his first 15 starts for his breeders, Brandon and Marianne Chase.
Albertus Maximus, a half brother to graded stakes-placed Chasethegold, is out of the winning Forty Niner mare Chasethewildwind, who is a half sister to French champion King Charlemagne, English group III winner Meshaheer, and the dam of grade I winner Here Comes Ben .
In view of the fact Albertus Maximus has been out of the public’s eye for such an extended period, his 2012 stud fee will be waived for approved mares. In addition, a bonus of $5,000 will be awarded to the breeder of the first winner sired by Albertus Maximus, and a bonus of $10,000 will be awarded to the breeder of the first black-type winner sired by him.