Masochistic ends retirement, returns to training with Mulhall

DEL MAR, Calif. – Masochistic, the three-time stakes winner who was disqualified from a second-place finish in the 2016 Breeders’ Cup Sprint for a medication violation, is back in training after a brief retirement.

Co-owner Will Shamlian said Masochistic has been based with trainer Kristin Mulhall at Del Mar since earlier this month. Shamlian stressed that there is no certainty Masochistic will return to racing after a series of disappointing performances earlier this year when trained by Bob Baffert.

“He a horse that tells you what he wants,” Shamlian said. “If he says no, then no. It’s day to day.

“If that’s the case, he’ll go back to the backyard.”

Mulhall had Masochistic based at her home through the spring with the intention of turning the 8-year-old gelding into a show horse.

“She turned him out, and he wasn’t thrilled,” Shamlian said. “He wants to be active.”

Masochistic has won 8 of 18 starts and earned $860,895. His most recent stakes win was the Grade 2 Pat O’Brien Stakes at Del Mar in August 2016. Later that fall, Masochistic was second in the BC Sprint but was later disqualified after he tested positive for a minute level of steroids. At the time, Masochistic was trained by Ron Ellis.

Earlier this year, Masochistic was winless in two starts for Baffert, the most recent of which was an eight-place finish in the Sensational Star Stakes at Santa Anita on March 11.