Joking retired after long absence

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Though he remains at Belmont Park with trainer Charlton Baker, the Grade 1 winner Joking has been officially retired.

Joking hasn’t run since taking the Grade 1 Vosburgh in 2016. He got very sick after shipping to Southern California for that year’s Breeders’ Cup and had to spend several months out West before returning to New York.

Baker tried to get the gelded son of Distorted Humor back to the races last summer. He scratched him from the Grade 2 True North on June 8 after the horse developed a foot abscess. The gelding was in training until last fall.

Baker said he wanted to run Joking one more time, but that he wouldn’t run him past 2018. Baker said he is looking for a home for Joking, and there is interest from Old Friends in Lexington, Ky.

“If I don’t send him to Old Friends, I’ll keep him on a farm,” Baker said.

Joking won the last four races of his career, including the True North and the Diablo as well as the Vosburgh. He retires with a record of 10-8-8 from 39 starts and earnings of $846,138.