Champ Gourmet Girl retired

Gourmet Girl, honored last week with an Eclipse Award as the nation's outstanding older female of 2001, has been retired, owner Gary Tanaka said Monday.

Tanaka said Gourmet Girl will be shipped to Taylor Made Farm in Kentucky soon but he had not finalized breeding plans. He said she is likely to be sold at the November breeding stock sale at Keeneland.

A 7-year-old, Gourmet Girl ends her career with 9 wins in 33 starts and earnings of $1,255,373. Last year, she won 3 of 6 starts, including the Grade 1 Apple Blossom Handicap at Oaklawn Park and the Grade 1 Vanity Handicap at Hollywood Park. She was second in the Grade 2 Clement Hirsch Handicap at Del Mar in her final start last August.

A splint bone injury kept her out of the Breeders' Cup Distaff. She was in training at Hollywood when the retirement decision was made.

"She doesn't have anything to prove," trainer Pico Perdomo said. "Every time you gallop her, you're taking a chance. It was my suggestion to retire her."

Bred in California, Gourmet Girl was bought for $3,500 as a yearling by a partnership. She was later acquired by Tanaka. Through it all, Gourmet Girl was trained by Perdomo.

"She's been with me since she was a yearling," Perdomo said. "We went through it all together. I will miss her. When I come to the barn and she's not there, I don't care what I put in that stall, she can't be replaced. I got attached to her."