NEWS
Breeders' Cup Turf winner Fantastic Light retired
Posted: Tuesday, November 06, 2001
Godolphin Racing's Fantastic Light, who capped a brilliant season with a three-quarter length victory in the $2-million Breeders' Cup Turf (G1) on October 27 at Belmont Park, has been retired. The five-year-old son of Rahy out of Jood, by Nijinsky II, will stand at Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum's Dalham Hall Stud near Newmarket, England. Godolphin, the global racing stable that Sheikh Mohammed oversees for family members and associates, had considered running Fantastic Light in the Japan Cup (Jpn-G1) on November 25.
Without any further details, Godolphin stated on Tuesday that "Fantastic Light will miss the Japan Cup and retire."
Darley and Dalham Hall announced on Wednesday that Fantastic Light will stand his first season for approximately $43,773 (30,000 English pounds).
"As befits a world champion, we are getting a huge amount of interest in the horse from all over the globe," said Sam Bullard, head of nominations at Darley. "And it's not surprising. He's an outstanding international champion, great looking, and with an excellent pedigree."
Bred in Kentucky by Sheikh Maktoum bin Rashid al Maktoum's Gainsborough Farm, Fantastic Light was one of the world's most consistent runners over the last three years. He retires with a record of 12 wins, five seconds, and three thirds from 25 career starts for $7,486,957 in earnings, a bankroll that puts him ninth on the all-time global list.
Trained by Saeed bin Suroor, Fantastic Light won six Group/Grade 1 races in four nations and also won the $2-million Dubai Sheema Classic (UAE-G3) at Nad al Sheba racecourse in Dubai in 2000.
Along with his victory over Milan (GB) in the 1 ½-mile Turf, Fantastic Light won this year's Prince of Wales's Stakes (Eng-G1) at Royal Ascot, Irish Champion Stakes (Ire-G1) at Leopardstown, and Tattersalls Gold Cup (Ire-G1) at the Curragh. The victory in the Irish Champion came at the expense of dual European classic winner and previously undefeated Galileo (Ire).
Fantastic Light won two of four career starts in North America, including the Turf and the 2000 Man o' War Stakes (G1) at Belmont Park. He set a Belmont course record when he won the Turf in 2:24.36.
Fantastic Light is expected to successfully defend the Emirates World Series Racing Championship title he won in 2000 since only the Japan Cup and Hong Kong Cup (HK-G1) remain on the series schedule for 2001. He currently has 30 points, 11 more than the recently retired Galileo and 12 more than stablemate and Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) runner-up Sakhee, who is not expected to race again in 2001. Silvano (Ger) is next with 15 points.
