Mills, after 8 years, officially retired

OZONE PARK, N.Y. - Nearly eight years to the day from when he made his debut, Mills was officially retired from racing, trainer Eddie Barker said Sunday.

Mills, an 11-year-old gelding by Any Given Saturday, finished fifth in an $8,000 claiming race Saturday. It was his 80th career start. It was his second straight non-effort following a victory at this level on Jan. 18.

“I was disappointed the way he ran,” Barker said Sunday morning at his Belmont Park barn. “He probably just lost a step, or more. He was a cool horse. We’re going to miss him.”

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Barker said Mills will be trained to become a fox hunter and will go to a farm in Virginia.

Barker, who claimed Mills for $10,000 last March, was the last of 12 trainers to have Mills. He made his debut for trainer Barclay Tagg at Gulfstream Park on March 22, 2013 and finished second, beaten a head, in a one-mile turf race.

Mills, who was claimed 11 times for a total of $369,000, retired with a record of 10-15-14 and earnings of $619,889.

Mills would have been ineligible to compete on the NYRA circuit beginning with the opening of the Belmont Park spring/summer meeting on April 22. At that point, NYRA will be banning horses 10-years-old and up from racing at its three tracks.