Goldencents headed to stud as two-time Dirt Mile winner

ARCADIA, Calif. – Trainer Leandro Mora reported all was well Saturday morning with Goldencents, the now-retired colt who went out in a blaze of glory the previous afternoon with a front-running repeat in the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile at Santa Anita.

Goldencents, ridden by Rafael Bejarano, won the Dirt Mile by 1 1/4 lengths over Tapiture, ending his 18-race career with more than $3 million in earnings. He will soon be sent to his next home, Spendthrift Farm in Kentucky, where he will begin his stud career next year.

Tapiture, like his BC Distaff-winning stablemate Untapable, will be given a brief rest before being sent to Fair Grounds for the winter to prepare for a 4-year-old campaign in major handicap events, said trainer Steve Asmussen.

[bc_video_id:340889:] Meanwhile, Vicar’s in Trouble, eased in the Dirt Mile, was headed for surgery Saturday afternoon at Lexington Equine Surgery for an undisplaced fracture of the lateral condyle in the left front fetlock joint. The 3-year-old colt is expected out of action for six to seven months, said owner Ken Ramsey.

“He took an overnight flight into Louisville and is on a van to Lexington, where he’ll probably have two screws inserted into the ankle,” said Ramsey. “Thankfully, it’s no worse than it is, and hopefully we’ll have him back running in less than a year.”

Vicar’s in Trouble pressed Goldencents through the first half-mile before being eased down the stretch by John Velazquez.