Corniche Retired, Heading to Ashford for Stud Duty
Corniche, by Quality Road, was undefeated at 2 and named Eclipse champion colt.
Corniche , the 2021 Eclipse champion 2-year-old and multiple grade 1 winner, has been retired and will be sent to Ashford Stud in Central Kentucky, where he will enter stud in 2023, the farm announced Aug. 28. The son of Quality Road out of grade 1-placed, grade 2 winner Wasted Tears suffered his only loss July 31 in the Amsterdam Stakes (G2) at Saratoga Race Course, where he suffered a career-ending injury to a hind joint. He retires with $1,263,500 in earnings.
Corniche topped the 2021 Ocala Breeders' Spring 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale when bloodstock agent Marette Farrell bought him for $1.5 million on behalf of owners Peter Fluor and K.C. Weiner of Speedway Stables.
Trained by Bob Baffert, Corniche was undefeated in three starts at 2. He won his debut at Del Mar by 4 1/4 lengths, going 5 1/2 furlongs in 1:03.01. He immediately stepped up to grade 1 company for the two-turn American Pharoah Stakes (G1), where he posted another front-end success. Drawn widest of all in post 11 in the TVG Breeders' Cup Juvenile presented by Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance (G1), Corniche sped through fractions of :23.03 and :46.15 before winning gamely by 1 3/4 lengths.
"It's unfortunate that Corniche has been forced to retire at this point in his career, but he will be revered for his remarkable juvenile season," said Ashford Stud manager Dermot Ryan. "He's a most impressive-looking individual and I can see him proving extremely popular amongst breeders."