Grade 1 winner Mucho Unusual retired from racing

Mucho Unusual, the winner of the Grade 1 Rodeo Drive Stakes in 2020 and four other stakes, has been retired and will be bred to American Pharoah in coming days, owner and breeder George Krikorian said on Thursday.

Mucho Unusual was flown from California to Kentucky earlier this week. Her retirement was announced by trainer Tim Yakteen in a Twitter message on Thursday.

Mucho Unusual finished fourth by two lengths in the Grade 2 Buena Vista Stakes at a mile on turf at Santa Anita on March 5 in her final career start. A 6-year-old California-bred mare by Mucho Macho Man, Mucho Unusual won 8 of 24 starts and earned $957,415.

“The decision was let’s get her bred,” Krikorian said. “She’s a nice horse and she’s had a nice career.”

The Rodeo Drive Stakes for fillies and mares at 1 1/4 miles on turf was Mucho Unusual’s most prestigious win. She was 12th in the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf at Keeneland later that fall, and rebounded to win the Grade 3 Robert Frankel Stakes in late December of 2020.

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For the 2020 season, Mucho Unusual was honored as the California-bred Horse of the Year by the California Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association.

In 2021, Mucho Unusual won 2 of 4 starts, including the Grade 3 Megahertz Stakes at a mile on turf at Santa Anita.

In 2019, Mucho Unusual won the California Cup Oaks for 3-year-old statebred fillies at Santa Anita and the Grade 2 San Clemente Stakes at a mile at Santa Anita.