Champion Golden Apples Retired

Eclipse Award winner Golden Apples has been retired from racing because of a suspensory injury to her left front leg. The 5-year-old mare is owned by Gary Tanaka.

Golden Apples, champion grass mare of 2002, finished second in a triple dead-heat for second in the July 26 John C. Mabee Handicap (gr. IT). Trainer Ben Cecil feels the injury might have occurred during the running.

"I'm devastated," Cecil told The Blood-Horse. "She tore the left suspensory. There's a hole in it. She jogged fine, but was a bit funny when she went back to the track (after finishing second in the Mabee). But it's a serious enough injury that we can't continue with her. She's not sore on it or anything, so that's good.
 
"This was really going to be her year, after her surgery and with the Breeders' Cup being at home at Santa Anita," he added. "We had it all planned out. But it was a great ride and I still have her Eclipse Award as a reminder. She really was a great horse and I'm going to miss her tremendously."

Bred in Ireland by James Egan and David Hanley, Golden Apples (Pivotal -- Loon, by Kaldoun) won last year's Beverly D. (gr. IT) and Yellow Ribbon (gr. IT) Stakes and the Santa Ana Handicap (gr. IIT). She also was a grade I turf winner the previous year and was group II-placed in Ireland prior to arriving in the U.S. in 2001. She retires with six wins from 16 starts and earnings of $1,672,583.

Cecil said he was unsure of Tanak's plans.

"She deserves a nice long, happy life as a broodmare and I'm happy she'll have that," the trainer said. "I'm not sure what (Tanaka) will do with her, maybe sell her in November or get her in foal and sell her after that."