Harness: Multi-millionaire Ariana G retiring
One of the greatest female trotters in North American history, Ariana G made the final start of her career in the $250,000 Breeders Crown Mare Trot at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono on October 27.
Marvin Katz, who co-owns the 4-year-old daughter of Muscle Hill from the Cantab Hall mare Cantab It All with Al Libfeld, cited a number of reasons for her retirement despite a very successful year in which she beat the boys on multiple occasions, set a track record at Dayton Raceway and won nearly $600,000.
“We were really reluctant about bringing her back even for this year,” said Katz, who co-owns the highly successful Libfeld/Katz breeding partnership. “Jimmy (Takter, trainer) is retiring and we really don’t feel she has anything left to prove at this point. We want to start her breeding career.”
After being used hard to get the lead from an outside post in the Breeders Crown, Ariana G finished fifth, bringing her career earnings to $2,465,459. That number ranks her 6th all-time among female trotters in North America.
Ariana G retires having compiled a career record of 40-26-4-2 and a lifetime mark of 1:50 2/5 in three years of racing under the care of Jimmy Takter. She was the Dan Patch and O’Brien award winner as the top 2-year-old trotting filly in 2016 and 3-year-old trotting filly in 2017.
As a 2-year-old, Ariana G’s major wins included the $306,500 Jim Doherty, $275,880 Peaceful Way and $600,000 Breeders Crown. At 3 she took home the $500,000 Hambletonian Oaks, $315,700 Elegantimage and $500,000 Breeders Crown. As a 4-year-old, she won the $250,000 Graduate and $405,850 Hambletonian Maturity against male competition, and the $150,000 Dayton Trotting Derby.
In addition to the track record at Dayton, she retires as the co-fastest 3-year-old trotting filly in Canadian history with a mark of 1:51 4/5.
“It’s been a long campaign and a great career. We are very excited about her future as a broodmare,” said Katz.
A final decision has not been made on which stallion Katz and Libfeld will choose for Ariana G.