NEWS
French classic, Grade 1 winner Musical Chimes retired
Posted: Tuesday, March 08, 2005
Musical Chimes, Sheikh Maktoum al Maktoum's homebred winner of the Gainsborough 2003 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches (Fr-G1) (French One Thousand Guineas) and the 2004 John C. Mabee Handicap (G1), has retired from racing, and the five-year-old daughter of In Excess (Ire) will return to Gainsborough Farm in Versailles, Kentucky, by the end of the month.The farm was still finalizing Musical Chimes's breeding plans as of Tuesday morning. She finished fifth in both of her starts this year, including in her dirt debut in the Santa Maria Handicap (G1) and against males and then back on turf in the Frank E. Kilroe Mile Handicap (G1), both at Santa Anita Park.
Musical Chimes began her career in France with Andre Fabre, who trained her to win the French One Thousand Guineas. She finished third in the Prix de Diane (Fr-G1) (French Oaks) in her penultimate French start before being sent to the United States where she finished second in both the 2003 Yellow Ribbon (G1) and Matriarch (G1) Stakes against older females.
At four, she won the John C. Mabee and Oak Tree Breeders' Cup Mile Stakes (G2) against males. She concludes her career having won of 20 starts and earning $965,489.
Musical Chimes is out of the unraced Sadler's Wells mare Note Musicale, whose half sisters include stakes winners Air Dancer, Bitooh (GB), and Monaassabaat as well as Try to Catch Me, dam of three-time Grade 1 winner Storming Home (GB).—Ed DeRosa
