Grade 3 winner Skylander Girl retired

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – The Grade 3-winning sprinter Skylander Girl has been retired from racing, trainer Alexander Patykewich said.

“She started getting a little bit of ankle on her, and I just don’t want to hurt her,” he said. “She’s been too good to me. I just retired her – it’s the easiest thing to do. She’s never had a needle put into her, she’s never been on Lasix, and I don’t want to start now. I could have kept her going, but I didn’t want to hurt her.”

Patykewich said he plans on selling the 5-year-old mare at the Keeneland breeding stock sale in November or privately.

Skylander Girl finished third in a pair of Grade 3 sprints at Woodbine this season, the Whimsical and Hendrie stakes. She recorded four wins in 31 career starts, with three of those wins in stakes races. She won the My Dear Stakes and the Ontario Debutante Stakes as a 2-year-old in 2013 and the Hendrie Stakes in 2015. She retires with earnings of $701,430.

While the loss of Skylander Girl is a big one for Patykewich’s small stable, the trainer was active at last September’s yearling sale, purchasing three horses who are now 2-year-olds. Patykewich said all three are now in training at Woodbine.