Grade I Winner Bandini Retired to Walmac

Bandini, a grade I winner and track-record setter, has been retired from racing for stallion duty at John T. Jones III and Robert Trussell's Walmac Farm near Lexington. The 4-year-old son of Fusaichi Pegasus   is being syndicated and will stand for $17,500.

Bandini scored his biggest win in a six-length romp in last year's Toyota Blue Grass Stakes (gr. I) at Keeneland. He went into the Kentucky Derby (gr. I) as the third choice, but injured an ankle while finishing unplaced and missed the rest of the year.

This year at Gulfstream Park, he set a track record of 1:34.19 for a mile in his first start in 10 months, then took the Skip Away Handicap (gr. III). Sent to New York for the Metropolitan Handicap (gr. I) in May, he aggravated the ankle and finished fourth in what would be his final start.

Bandini retired with five wins from nine starts and earnings of $676,380 while trained by Todd Pletcher.

"Physically, he is quite a specimen," Jones said. "He is balanced and imposing with great bone, standing 16 hands, and having a lengthy hip with great depth to his shoulder and heart girth."

Bred in Kentucky by Marvin Little Jr., James Iselin, and Ron McKee, Bandini raced for Michael Tabor and Derrick Smith. His stakes-placed dam, Divine Dixie (by Dixieland Band), is a half-sister to stakes winners Mr. Katowice and Stormy Atlantic  . The latter, a successful Kentucky stallion, has 2006 progeny earnings of $4.5 million.

Bandini, who hails from the great Claiborne family of co-Horse of the Year Moccasin, has as his third dam stakes winner Flippers, who is a half-sister to European champion and prominent sire Apalachee.