Frank Stronach's Adena Springs Farm announced Jan. 16 that Einstein, a multiple grade I-winning millionaire, has been retired from racing and will stand the 2010 breeding season at Adena Springs in Paris, Ky. His fee is $7,500.
Einstein, trained by Helen Pitts-Blasi, suffered a minor soft tissue injury while preparing for the upcoming Gulfstream Park Turf Handicap (gr. IT), according to a statement released by Adena Springs. Einstein won the Gulfstream Park Turf Handicap in 2006 and 2008.
"We had hoped to see Einstein win this race for the third time, and were looking forward to letting him continue to run for as long as he was competitive," Adena Springs president Andy Stronach said in the statement. "Einstein loved to run. He had an amazing career, winning five grade I races and nearly $3 million dollars in his five years on the track.
"He's the kind of horse you hope to have in your stable, and the kind of horse fans love to see race," Stronach added. "We're saddened to see his racing career come to an end, but we're looking forward to having him join our stallion roster in Kentucky."
A Brazilian-bred son of Spend a Buck out of the Brazilian group I winner Gay Charm (by Ghadeer), the 8-year-old Einstein proved adept at handling all surfaces. He heads into retirement with a career record of 11-4-4 in 30 lifetime starts, including seven graded stakes wins. He earned $2,945,238.
In his last race, the Clark Handicap (gr. II) at Churchill Downs in November, which he won in 2008, he turned in a game effort to finish a hard-closing third, beaten by a half-length. During his 2009 campaign, he won the Santa Anita Handicap (gr. I) in March on a synthetic track and the Woodford Reserve Turf Classic (gr. IT) at Churchill for the second straight year less than two months later. He was purchased privately by Frank Stronach prior to missing by a neck in the Pacific Classic (gr. I) at Del Mar Sept. 6.
For more information please contact Adena Springs general manager Eric Hamelback (800) 975-5641.