2010 Kentucky Derby Winner Super Saver has been retired from racing and will come home to stand stud at WinStar Farm in Versailles, KY.
“The final decision to retire Super Saver was a difficult one that may not be popular with fans but should be very popular with our breeders. The bone bruising, discovered by Dr. Larry Bramlage DVM, which limited his performance during the latter half of this year should subside with time. However, it created a slight risk that he would not return to the form he showed as a two year old and through the Kentucky Derby,” said Elliott Walden, Vice-President and Racing Manager, “he was a top two year old and became WinStar and Todd Pletchers’ first Kentucky Derby winner. He has nothing more to prove.”
Trained by Todd Pletcher, Super Saver proved to be a top 2-year-old before his Derby success. He broke his maiden by seven lengths in his second start at Belmont Park before shipping to Churchill Downs where he broke an 82-year-old stakes record in the Kentucky Jockey Club S. (G2). In that race, Super Saver set fast fractions – including a 46.75 half mile – before powering away from his rivals to win by five-lengths. He stopped the clock in 1:42.83 – record time for the 1 1/16-mile race.
Super Saver closed out his 2-year-old season as one of the winter book favorites for the Kentucky Derby, and he was weighted at 122 lbs. on the Experimental Free Handicap including holding the No. 1 spot on Steve Haskin’s Derby Dozen.
At three, Super Saver entered the Tampa Bay Derby (G3) off a 3 ½-month layoff and finished third, beaten just half a length while setting all the fractions. He improved in the second start of his form cycle in the Arkansas Derby (G1), finishing just a neck behind the winner while second. Super Saver was then aimed for the Kentucky Derby (G1) and was regarded as a top contender by many racing analysts.
Off as the second choice in the field of 20, Super Saver showed good tactical speed throughout under Calvin Borel. As the field hit the top of the stretch, Super Saver took full command inside the quarter pole and streaked clear down the long Churchill Downs stretch to score a decisive 2 1/2-length victory in the Run for the Roses. He earned a 104 Beyer Speed Figure while defeating 11 Grade 1 winners in the world’s most coveted race. The historic win was the first for both WinStar and Pletcher.
“I’ve dreamt of winning the Kentucky Derby since I was six years old,” Pletcher said. “Super Saver was my fastest 2-year-old last year, and his stakes-record performance in the (Kentucky) Jockey Club told me he was a Derby horse. I just had to harness that speed and get him ready. Thank God it happened just that way.”
Super Saver retires with a record of 3-2-1 and earnings of $1,889,766.
By two-time Kentucky Derby-producing sire Maria’s Mon, Super Saver hails from one of the prolific Phipps female families. Super Saver’s dam Supercharger, by A.P. Indy, is a sister to graded stakes winners Daydreaming, Girolamo and Accelerator. Supercharger is also the sister to She’s a Winner, the dam of leading freshman sire and fellow WinStar sire Bluegrass Cat.
The family descends to the great foundation mare La Troienne, and it also includes other top horses as Dance Number, Rhythm, Private Account, Woodman, Mutakddim and Not For Love.
“Super Saver is a special horse. He made a lot of dreams come true for the entire WinStar team,” said Doug Cauthen, President of WinStar. “Having him back at the farm this past month has been like having a family member return home. We ultimately felt like it was best for him to retire now and we’re thrilled to have the rare opportunity to stand a horse of his caliber here where he was born and raised. With his impressive mix of speed and a classic pedigree, Super Saver is an exciting stud prospect.”
Fans and Breeders are invited to celebrate the homecoming of Super Saver to the WinStar Stallion Barn on Saturday October 30th from 11am to 1pm; Leading Trainer Todd Pletcher will be on hand at the Stallion Complex. The stud fee will be announced soon.
