Xpressbet Florida Derby (G1) winner Audible has been retired and will enter stud at WinStar Farm for the 2020 breeding season.
One of the most consistent 3-year-olds of his generation, the son of leading sire Into Mischief was never off the board in five 2018 stakes, with three stakes wins in his sophomore season for owners WinStar Farm, China Horse Club, Starlight Racing, and Head of Plains Partners. The colt was trained by Todd Pletcher.
"He was one of the best in a historic class," said Elliott Walden, president, CEO, and racing manager of WinStar Farm. "He separates himself from other sons of Into Mischief with his looks and presence."
In his seasonal and stakes debut at 3, following a pair of wins at 2, Audible captured the Holy Bull Stakes (G2) at Gulfstream Park in decisive fashion, defeating grade 1 winner Free Drop Billy by 5 1/2 lengths. He powered home in the 1 1/16-mile stakes in 1:41.92, the fastest time in the race in the past six years.
In his next race, Audible stamped his ticket to the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1) with another eye-catching performance in the Florida Derby, rolling to a dominating three-length victory in a race that included subsequent grade 1 winners Catholic Boy and Promises Fulfilled. He demonstrated versatility in winning the 1 1/8-mile race—his fourth consecutive win—by rallying from far back after winning the Holy Bull with a pace-stalking trip.
"Audible's Florida Derby showed the world how talented he was," Pletcher said. "He has a great disposition and mind with a beautiful physical. He is the best Into Mischief I have seen."
Audible headed into Churchill Downs on the first Saturday in May ranked third on the Road to the Kentucky Derby leaderboard with 110 points. After being repeatedly blocked and altering course in the stretch, he rallied along the rail and finished a determined third to eventual undefeated Triple Crown winner Justify . Audible returned in November and won the inaugural running of the seven-furlong Cherokee Run Stakes at Churchill by two lengths with a bold five-wide move. He ended his 3-year-old campaign with a runner-up effort in the Harlan's Holiday Stakes (G3).
Audible was retired with a 5-1-2 record out of 10 starts and earnings of $2,130,520.
Bred in New York by Oak Bluff Stables, Audible sold for $500,000 as a 2-year-old to China Horse Club and WinStar at The Gulfstream Sale, Fasig-Tipton's Florida 2-year-olds in training sale.
The colt is out of the winning Gilded Time mare Blue Devil Bel, a half sister to graded-placed stakes winner and stakes producer Akilina (Langfuhr). Akilina is the dam of graded-placed stakes winner Governor Malibu and grade 1-placed multiple Japanese listed stakes winner Rieno Tesoro.
Audible's female family traces to three-time grade 1 winner Classy Cathy, the dam of group 2 winner Placerville and a full sister to grade 1-placed stakes winner Ms. Margi and a half sister to grade 3 winner Sports View and stakes winner Top Trestle.
