Grade 1 winner Materiality retired

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Materiality, the Grade 1 Florida Derby winner, has been retired after being diagnosed with a soft-tissue injury, his connections announced Friday.

Materiality, a son of Afleet Alex trained by Todd Pletcher, won 3 of 5 starts and earned $686,028. He had been pointing to the Jim Dandy Stakes on Aug. 1, but his connections were not happy with the way he trained. Subsequent evaluation revealed the injury.

A $400,000 purchase by bloodstock agent Steve Young on behalf of Alto Racing at the 2014 Fasig-Tipton Midlantic sale of 2-year-olds in training, Materiality did not race at 2.

He won a maiden race Jan. 11 at Gulfstream Park and took the Islamorada Stakes on March 6. Twenty-two days later, Materiality won the Florida Derby over Upstart. He then tried to become the first horse since Apollo in 1882 to win the Kentucky Derby without having raced as a 2-year-old.

A poor start compromised Materiality in the Derby, and he made a late run to finish sixth. After skipping the Preakness, Materiality went off as the third choice in the Belmont Stakes, but after stalking American Pharoah, he faded to last.

Stallion arrangements have not been finalized.

“Materiality was a very special racehorse, winning from six furlongs to a mile and an eighth against the best of his generation,” Young said. “He is a good-looking individual, and we expect the breeders will like him as much as we do.”

The 110 Beyer Speed Figure that Materiality earned in winning the Florida Derby remains the highest by a 3-year-old this year.