Grade 1 winner Dance Card retired, to be bred to Medaglia d'Oro

Grade 1 winner Dance Card has been retired from racing and will be bred to Medaglia d’Oro, her connections announced Friday.

According to trainer Kiaran McLaughlin, the 5-year-old Dance Card had issues with her ankles that would have prevented her from having a full 2014 campaign. She was owned by Sheikh Mohammed al-Maktoum’s Godolphin Racing.

“Her ankle flared up,” McLaughlin said. “Just wear and tear. [Dr. Larry Bramlage] felt like it would be hard to race all year. She’s a Grade 1 winner, we felt like it was best to stop. She was one of the best I trained talent-wise.”

As a 3-year-old in 2012, Dance Card won the Grade 1 Gazelle. She missed most of 2013 due to having surgery to remove chips from her ankles. In two starts last year, Dance Card finished third in the Grade 2 Gallant Bloom and third in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint.

She was in training for a possible start in the Barbara Fritchie Handicap next month at Laurel Park, before the decision was made to stop on her. Dance Card worked twice this winter at Palm Meadows, including a half-mile move in 49.80 seconds on Jan. 12.

McLaughlin said Dance Card came out of that work “a touch off,” which prompted him to take X-rays of her ankles.

Dance Card, a daughter of Tapit out of the Editor’s Note mare Tempting Note, had a record of 4-1-2 from 7 starts and earned $502,200. Her 3-year-old full brother, Hartford, won his debut Thursday at Gulfstream by 5 3/4 lengths for Stonestreet Stables and Todd Pletcher.