A $10,000 claimer at several points in his career, Bluesthestandard finished second in the 2003 Breeders' Cup Sprint (G1).

Current owner Steve Sobel claimed the bay gelding for $12,500 out of a two-length win at Santa Anita Park on March 30. Sobel and trainer Bob Hess Jr. insisted there is nothing wrong with Bluesthestandard, but Sobel was swayed when trainer Kristin Mulhall, one of the gelding's many fans, offered to let Bluesthestandard live at her farm in Covina, California.

"My trainer swears up and down the horse is fine and can race," Sobel said. "But we had a battle on our hands to be able to run him, so I've decided it was time to be the ones to find Blue a nice home."

The nine-year-old American Standard gelding out of the Bob's Dusty mare Bob's Blue retires with 19 wins and earnings of $1,041,618 from 47 starts. He won the Texas Mile Stakes (G3) at Lone Star Park and the Potrero Grande Breeders' Cup Handicap (G2) at Santa Anita in 2003 and the Palos Verdes Handicap (G2) at Santa Anita in '04.

Sobel said Hess called him Thursday morning and said there was "too much heat" from the California Horse Racing Board and the state veterinarian to run the gelding. Hess scratched Bluesthestandard, declaring him sick, despite his belief the horse could have run well.

"Bluesthestandard is going out as he deserves to go out, and hats off to Steve Sobel for allowing that to happen," Hess said. "We know the horse wants to compete more. He's happy and he loves his job. My crew … we have 25 employees and they're saddened he's leaving, but everyone knows how precarious this game is, and even in the best of situations, things can happen. Blues will be angry with us a little while, but once he learns to adjust to his new life, he'll be happy."

Mulhall said she will turn Bluesthestandard out for six months to a year and "let him be a horse."

"I watched him go all the way up and when he started going downhill I felt bad for him," said Mulhall, 23. "He's won a lot of money for a lot of people, and he deserved better than running at the bottom level. Steve is a really nice guy and he cares about this horse."

Sobel, an Orange County attorney, was part of a partnership that owned Bluesthestandard for nine races during 2002 before he was claimed by Jeffrey Sengara and trainer Ted West for $50,000 on December 31 of that year. It was under West's care that Bluesthestandard went from claimer to graded stakes winner and then back again, highlighted by his second behind Cajun Beat in the 2003 Breeders Cup Sprint at Santa Anita.

Bluesthestandard re-entered the claiming world on March 31, 2005, and made his final 11 starts for a claiming price. He won his last two races.

"He tries so hard," Sobel said. "He's a horse with humble beginnings who tried his heart out every time he ran. You can look at horses the way you look at kids on sports teams. You love the ones who might not have the most ability but try the hardest. That was always Blue."—Pete Denk