Irish champion filly Sariska has been retired from racing after failing to break from the starting gate for the second straight time, according to the Racing Post. The 4-year-old Pivotal filly retired with five wins and three placings from 11 races and earnings of $1,113,771.
The first time Sariska failed to break from the gate came in the Aug. 19 Darley Yorkshire Oaks (Eng-I). After being treated by horse healer Gary Witherford, she did the same thing in the Sept. 12 Qatar Prix Vermeille (Fr-I). Midday, a filly that Sariska bested in three earlier group events, won both stakes.
A homebred for Lady Bamford, Sariska defeated Midday in last year’s Investec Epsom Oaks (Eng-I) and then won the Darley Irish Oaks (Ire-I), with Midday finishing third. This year, Sariska beat Midday in the Totesport.com Middleton Stakes (Eng-II).
Sariska, who was foaled in Great Britain, is a half sister to stakes winner Gull Wing and is out of the stakes-winning Muhtarram mare Maycocks Bay.