Forever Unbridled will retire after Dubai World Cup

The champion mare Forever Unbridled will be retired and bred this spring to Medaglia d’Oro following her start March 31 in the Group 1, $10 million Dubai World Cup, owner Charles Fipke said Friday.

Forever Unbridled is a 6-year-old mare who capped her Eclipse Award-winning 5-year-old campaign with a victory in the Breeders’ Cup Distaff. She was briefly considered for a start in the Pegasus World Cup on Jan. 27, but Fipke and trainer Dallas Stewart instead decided to point to the World Cup, a race no filly or mare has won. Forever Unbridled shipped to Dubai earlier this week and has settled in well, Fipke said.

“She’s really loving it over there,” Fipke said.

Fipke said Forever Unbridled has been valued as an eight-figure horse were she to be offered at auction. He said he has no intention of selling the mare, but said the economics suggest retirement is the right move since Forever Unbridled already has won multiple Grade 1 races, a Breeders’ Cup race, and an Eclipse.

“You go and run a Grade 1 horse in a race worth $1 or $2 million, you’re risking your investment. For $10 million it’s worth the risk,” Fipke said.

Forever Unbridled is by Unbridled’s Song and out of Lemons Forever, a Kentucky Oaks winner Stewart trained and co-owned, and who Fipke bought as a broodmare prospect for $2.5 million in 2007. Lemons Forever’s third foal to race was Unbridled Forever, who won the Grade 1 Bal-lerina at Saratoga. Both Unbridled Forever and Lemons Forever also have been bred to Medaglia d’Oro, Fipke said.

Forever Unbridled has compiled a record of 8-3-4 from 17 starts with earnings of $3,186,880. She was a perfect 3 for 3 last year, beating Songbird in the Personal Ensign Stakes before her Breeders’ Cup Distaff win. In 2016, Forever Unbridled won the Grade 1 Apple Blossom and the Grade 1 Beldame, and was a tough-luck third behind Beholder and Songbird in the BC Distaff.