Multiple G1 winner Mor Spirit retires to Spendthrift
September 16, 2018
Mor Spirit is the only G1-winning 2yo to capture the Met Mile since Holy Bull
Multiple Grade 1-winning millionaire Mor Spirit, who’s best known for his dominant victory in the 2017 Metropolitan Handicap (G1), has been retired and will stand stud in 2019 at B. Wayne Hughes’ Spendthrift Farm in Lexington, KY.
Mor Spirit is the newest stallion to be offered through Spendthrift’s renowned Share The Upside program. His Share The Upside fee will be $10,000 stands & nurses on a one-year commitment, and breeders will earn a lifetime breeding right in Mor Spirit after producing just one live foal in 2020. He will also be offered for $10,000 on a standard stands-and-nurses contract.
“The term ‘brilliant’ is tossed around quite a bit, but Mor Spirit was truly a brilliant racehorse,” said Ned Toffey, Spendthrift general manager. “He accomplished some extremely desirable things that very few stallion prospects accomplish. The Met Mile is one of the most storied stallion-making races in our sport, and Mor Spirit is the only horse in the last 25 years to win a Grade 1 at two and go on to win the Met Mile. That’s pretty remarkable, and it speaks to his quality. The Met Mile performance was special. There were few moments better than that on the biggest of stages last year. Add in the fact he was a $650,000 2-year-old that Bob Baffert picked out, and it tells you a lot about his physical makeup. We’re very excited to have him.”
On the track, Mor Spirit broke his maiden as a 2-year-old by 4 ¼ lengths at Santa Anita, earning a 92 Beyer. He went on to capture the Los Alamitos Futurity (G1) to close out his juvenile campaign as a Grade 1 winner. Mor Spirit opened up his 3-year-old season where he left off, winning the Robert B. Lewis S. (G3) at Santa Anita. He was also runner-up in the Santa Anita Derby (G1) and San Felipe S. (G2) at three.
As a 4-year-old, Mor Spirit went on a three-race win streak and established himself as one of racing’s best milers. He shipped to Oaklawn first to win the Essex H. by 2 ½ lengths, earning a 108 Beyer. Mor Spirit went back on the road to capture the Steve Sexton Mile (G3) by 5 ¾ lengths at Lone Star, earning a 107 Beyer. Those performances made him the favorite for the prestigious Metropolitan H. at Belmont.
In what was widely regarded as one of the best performances of 2017, Mor Spirit dazzled in the Met Mile, drawing away from Grade 1 winner Sharp Azteca and an elite field of milers to win by 6 ¼ lengths in dominating fashion. Mor Spirit stopped the clock in 1:33.71 for the mile, earning a 117 Beyer and negative 1 ¼ on the Ragozin sheets. The 117 Beyer marked the fastest up to a mile in 2017, and only Arrogate was faster in a Grade 1 on the year.
With the victory, Mor Spirit became the first Grade 1-winning juvenile to go on and capture the Met Mile since Holy Bull in 1994.
A $650,000 2-year-old purchase, Mor Spirit retires with earnings of $1,668,400 for owner Michael Lund Petersen and trainer Bob Baffert, finishing first or second in 11 of 14 career starts. The multiple Grade 1-winning millionaire retires to Spendthrift as the most accomplished son of the brilliant Eskendereya. He hails from the multiple stakes-winning Dixie Union mare, Im a Dixie Girl.
For more information on Mor Spirit or the Share The Upside program, please contact Des, Mark or Brian at 859-294-0030, or visit SpendthriftFarm.com.