Mark Stanley’s grade I-winning millionaire Swift Temper, the 5-2 second choice in the morning line for the Nov. 26 Falls City Handicap (gr. II) at Churchill Downs, has been scratched from the race because of an injury and has been retired.
Trainer Dale Romans said the 5-year-old daughter of Giant's Causeway suffered a fractured splint bone in her final tune-up for the race. She went five furlongs over the main track at Churchill Downs in 1:02 3/5 on Nov. 19.
The 1 1/8-mile Falls City had been scheduled to been the final race of Swift Temper’s career.
“She fractured a splint bone, but she’s completely sound and it’s not a big issue,” said Romans. “She was going to be retired after this race anyway, so she can go ahead and start her career as a broodmare.”
Swift Temper steadily improved throughout a racing career that started in the late summer of 2006. She joined Romans’ barn during her 3-year-old season and her final year of racing was her finest.Her three victories in 10 races in 2009 all came in graded stakes. In April she won the Sixty Sails Handicap (gr. III) at Hawthorne; added the $1-million Delaware Handicap (gr. II) July 19; and won the Sept. 12 Ruffian Handicap (gr. I) at Belmont. The season included placings in the Fleur de Lys and Louisville Distaff Handicaps (both gr. II)
“I didn’t pick her up until she was three, and she always seemed like she could improve,” Romans said, “but nobody could have predicted she could go to that level.”
She concludes her racing career with a record of 6-4-3 in 31 races with earnings of $1,296,688.
“She’s a special filly and has been special for our barn,” Romans said. “We hate to see her go, but I think she’s going to have a great career as a broodmare.”
Out of the Seeking the Gold mare Glasgow’s Gold, Swift Temper went through the Keeneland November breeding stock sale where she was bought back by Stanley for $2.05 million. As a yearling in 2005 she brought $285,000 while in Book One of the Keeneland September yearling sale. She was an out during the following year’s 2-year-old sale at Keeneland. Glasgow’s Gold is a daughter of multiple grade I winner Georgous.
Swift Temper was bred in Kentucky by Richard Nip and Omar Trevino.