Caren, Canadian Horse of Year, retired

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Caren, the 2016 Canadian Horse of the Year, has been retired from racing and will be bred to Curlin next spring, trainer Michael De Paulo said.

Caren made just two starts as a 4-year-old this spring before suffering a soft-tissue injury in June while preparing for the Grade 2 Dance Smartly Stakes at Woodbine. De Paulo had said earlier this summer that it was possible Caren would return for a 2018 campaign, but he and owner Robert Marzilli opted for retirement following this fall’s yearling sales circuit.

“When we saw how strong the yearling sale market was, we just decided to go ahead and breed her,” De Paulo said.

De Paulo said Caren is in good order, and is turned out on the farm in Kentucky.

“She’s getting ready for her new career,” he said.

Caren, a $45,000 purchase at the 2014 Fasig Tipton October yearling sale by De Paulo for Marzilli, retires with a career record of nine wins from 17 starts, and earnings of $1,070,150. She earned two Sovereign Awards in 2016, including for champion 3-year-old filly, following a campaign that saw her reel off four stakes wins in a row at four different distances from one mile to 1 1/4 miles. She earned more than $600,000 last year.

“It was awesome,” De Paulo said of Caren’s 3-year-old campaign. “It will be really nice to see her become a real good broodmare.”