Laurel Park
Grade 2 winner Messi retired at 8
Michael Burns Messi wins the Sky Classic last year in his only start at Woodbine.
The Herringswell Stables of trainer Graham Motion announced on social media Tuesday that Messi has been retired “happy and sound” following his seventh-place effort in a high-level optional-claiming race at Belmont Park on Sunday.
Messi, 8, won two of 12 starts, all in Germany, between 2012 and 2014 and was sent to Motion in 2015 for his 5-year-old campaign. The long-winded turf runner won three of his first four U.S. starts, including the Grade 3 Knickerbocker at Aqueduct.
In 2016, Messi won the Grade 2 Sky Classic at 1 1/4 miles over the Woodbine turf.
A bit flat in his last four races, Messi retires with a 6-5-5 record from 30 starts and $485,000 in earnings.
