This Strub win turns out to be the curtain fall on High Limit's racing career.
High Limit, a two-time grade II winner this year, has been retired from racing. The 4-year-old son of Maria's Mon won five of 12 starts and earned $922,500 for owners Gary and Mary West.High Limit started his 4-year-old campaign with a victory in the San Pasqual Handicap (gr. II), and then won the Strub Stakes (gr. III), with last year's Kentucky Derby (gr. I) winner Giacomo finishing third. High Limit was favored in the Santa Anita Handicap (gr. I) but finished unplaced and came out of the race with a fracture in his right front ankle. He recovered from that injury and was placed back in training, but was retired after it became apparent that he wouldn't be ready for the Nov. 4 Breeders' Cup Classic - Powered by Dodge (gr. I).The Wests' racing manager, Ben Glass, bought High Limit for $145,000 at the 2003 Keeneland September yearling sale from Domino Stud of Lexington. High Limit won at Delaware Park by 10 3/4 and 7 3/4 lengths in his only starts as a 2-year-old for trainer Anthony Dutrow.Transferred to conditioner Bobby Frankel, High Limit won the Louisiana Derby (gr. II) and ran second in the Toyota Blue Grass Stakes (gr. I) to start his 3-year-old season. After unplaced efforts in the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes (gr. I), he started three more times that year and managed a third in the Leonard Richards Stakes (gr. III).Bred in Kentucky by Brookfield Farm, High Limit is out of the Known Fact mare Known Romance, who is a half-sister to stakes winner Spartan Cat. His second dam, Spa Romance, is a half-sister to grade I winner Dance Teacher and to millionaire Gold Mover.Stud plans have not yet been finalized.
