Irish War Cry, won Wood Memorial and Holy Bull, retired to Northview Stallion Station

Grade 2 winner and classic-placed Irish War Cry has been retired and will enter stud in 2019 at Northview Stallion Station in Chesapeake City, Md.

Irish War Cry raced as a homebred for Isabelle De Tomaso. Irish War Cry's breeding rights were purchased in May 2017 by a partnership led by Hill 'n' Dale Farm, which stands his sire, Curlin.

“It was always the intent of our partners to stand Irish War Cry in Kentucky," Hill 'n' Dale's John Sikura said in a press release. "With the addition of champion Good Magic - also by Curlin - and the strong track record of making stallions at Northview, we decided this was the ideal situation for Irish War Cry. They pursued the horse aggressively and made a great pitch for the horse. His credentials as a top class racehorse and great physical specimen make him a standout in the vibrant Maryland market.”

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In the press release, Northview's general manager David Wade said a stud fee and syndicate structure for Irish War Cry would be announced at a later date.

"He has such a presence and is so beautifully balanced that I believe mare owners will line up after they see him," Wade said.

Irish War Cry retires with a career record of 13-5-2-0 and earnings of $1,257,060. He won the 2016 Marylander Stakes as a juvenile; took the Grade 2 Holy Bull Stakes and Grade 2 Wood Memorial Stakes the following year; and won the Grade 3 Pimlico Special Stakes earlier this year. He led into the stretch of the 2017 Belmont Stakes and finished second, beaten two lengths by Tapwrit.

Irish War Cry last raced when he was pulled up and vanned off in the Stephen Foster Handicap in June after struggling to cope with unseasonably hot weather the night of the race. He has breezed several times at trainer Graham Motion's Fair Hill Training Center base in Maryland since then.

“Irish War Cry is such a gorgeous and talented horse,” Motion said. “I have not had a horse since Animal Kingdom who has shown the kind of raw ability that he has.”