Eyesa Special retired to stud

Eyesa Special, the 2000 champion 2-year-old Quarter Horse, has been retired following a career punctuated by record-setting Grade 1 victories and a nagging hoof problem.

Purchased as a yearling for $15,000 by Terry Bell, Bud Hill, and Jim Pitts, Eyesa Special will be syndicated and stand at stud at the 6666 Ranch in Guthrie, Texas.

Eyesa Special gave trainer Jack Brooks his record-extending eighth All American Futurity victory last year. In the All American, Eyesa Speical won by two lengths in 21.097 seconds for the 440 yards, the fastest quarter-mile ever by a 2-year-old. Eyesa Special then won the Grade 1 Texas Classic Futurity in a stakes-record 19.48 seconds for the 400 yards.

A son of My Eye Opener, Eyesa Special retired with six wins from 10 career starts and earnings of $1,394,911.

Eyesa Special grabbed a quarter during his Remington Park Futurity trial, his career debut on April 14, 2000, and the injury affected every one of his 10 starts, including his record-setting Grade 1 wins.

The end of Eyesa Special's racing career came after he ran seventh in his Rainbow Derby trial last Thursday.