by Warren Alber

Sackatoga Stable’s Funny Cide, winner of the 2003 Kentucky Derby (G1) and Preakness Stakes (G1), has been retired.

The seven-year-old Distorted Humor gelding won the Wadsworth Memorial Handicap by three lengths on July 4 at Finger Lakes, snapping a six-race winless stretch in what was to be his final race.

“We wanted him to go out a winner; there’s no better way for him to end his career,” said Jack Knowlton, Sackatoga Stable’s managing partner.

Knowlton said the decision to retire Funny Cide was made while he, trainer Barclay Tagg, and assistant Robin Smullen enjoyed dinner on Thursday near Belmont Park.

"This is a great time to call it a career," Knowlton said. "We knew this day would come, and we are fortunate that we can do it on our terms. We wanted him to go out with a win and he did. He's going out the way he came in."

Funny Cide won 11 of 38 career starts and earned $3,529,412 in his career. In addition to his classic wins at age three, Funny Cide annexed the 2004 Excelsior Breeders' Cup Handicap (G3) and the Jockey Club Gold Cup (G1) as a four-year-old. He will remain under Tagg's care and be converted to a stable pony.

"He will be in the same place he has been for the past five years and live a good life," Knowlton said. "What's left for him to prove? We understand that he is not going to be winning the big Grade 1 races, and we knew he wouldn't be racing forever. He's had a wonderful career and done everything we have asked of him.

"It was a fabulous day at Finger Lakes, to win the Wadsworth Memorial and have that great crowd come out to see him—they wanted him to win and he did. Really, he doesn't need to prove anything to anybody anymore."

Warren Alber is a New York-based Thoroughbred Times correspondent