Not This Time retired to Taylor Made

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Not This Time, one of the early favorites for the 2017 Kentucky Derby, has been retired to stud at Taylor Made Farm in Nicholasville, Ky., after being diagnosed with a soft-tissue injury to his right foreleg. The stunning announcement of the colt’s retirement was made Monday afternoon by Taylor Made.

Not This Time finished a fast-closing second in the Nov. 5 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile at Santa Anita in his final start. Trainer Dale Romans had been elated with how the colt progressed throughout his career and often cited him as quite possibly the best horse he had ever trained in his 30-year career.

In a news release, Romans said in part, “… it’s a real shame to see him leave the barn before we got to see him fulfill his enormous potential, because there’s no doubt in my mind he was as good of a Kentucky Derby contender as there is out there.”

Campaigned by the Albaugh Family Stable of Iowa, Not This Time finishes with 2 wins from 4 career starts and earnings of $454,183. Prior to the Breeders’ Cup, he won the Grade 3 Iroquois by 10 1/4 lengths at his home base, Churchill Downs.

Not This Time, by Giant’s Causeway, will begin his stud career in 2017 at Taylor Made, which acquired a 50 percent interest from the Albaughs earlier this year. He will stand for a $15,000 fee.

Wagering on Not This Time in Pool 1 of the Kentucky Derby Future Wager was suspended prior to the Thursday opening of the pool. The confirmed lineup of individual wagering interests had been released just prior to the Taylor Made announcement.