There’s nothing that reflects more poorly on the sport of horse racing than watching an aging horse well past his competitive prime being forced to solider on by greedy or indifferent owners. That’s why the connections of Untapable are receiving unanimous praise from the racing community for their decision to retire the 2014 three year old champion filly long before that point. Owner/breeder Ron Winchell and trainer Steve Asmussen have clearly put the best interests of the horse first and foremost.
Owner/breeder Ron Winchell confirmed Untapable’s retirement on his Twitter account: “After having a truly great 3-year-old season and currently the No. 1 U.S. earner for Tapit – it’s time!” The decision was made after Untapable finished 4th in the Grade 2 Fleur de Lis Handicap on Saturday night. She entered the race heavy favorite and just didn’t compete. That left her with a 2nd and two 4th place finishes in 2016. She hasn’t won a race since the Apple Blossom Stakes in April 2015. She finishes her career with a record of 20-9-5-2 and earnings of $3,926,625.
David Fiske, racing manager for Winchell Thoroughbreds, says that Untapable’s demeanor during races has changed since her prime: “She went into that last race perfect. She worked great, she looked great. Steve (trainer Steve Asmussen) was very happy with her. There’s no way we would have run her if she wasn’t 100 percent. What’s become of her is she doesn’t relax in her races, and against that kind of competition, that’s a problem. It’s kind of a Jekyll-and-Hyde situation, where she’s perfect until you put her in the gate.”
Untapable was an almost immediate success in the sport, winning a Grade 2 race as a juvenile. In 2014, she won four Grade 1 events–the Kentucky Oaks, Mother Goose, the Cotillion along with the Breeders’ Cup Distaff. She won the the Eclipse Award as the top three year old filly. She would win only one more race in her career as she was victorious in the 2015 Grade 1 Apple Blossom. Despite not winning a race after April, 2015 she remained competitive throughout turning in top three finishes in her next five races. 4th place finishes in her last two races sealed the decision for her connections.