Mystic Guide's comeback attempt aborted, will stand stud in 2023

Mystic Guide, the 2021 Dubai World Cup winner who was stymied several times while attempting a comeback, has been retired from racing with a soft-tissue injury, owner-breeder Godolphin announced on Thursday afternoon. He will begin his stud career at the operation's Kentucky stallion farm in the 2023 season.

"The timing unfortunately rules out his major summer and fall targets, and as a result, he will take up stud duties at Jonabell Farm," Dan Pride, chief operating officer of Godolphin in America, said in a release. "He proved himself a top-caliber horse on the world stage and has an outstanding pedigree with an impressive physical to match. We can’t wait for breeders to be able to see him in person."

Mystic Guide, a 5-year-old son of Ghostzapper out of multiple Grade 1 winner Music Note, retires with a record of 9-4-3-2 and earnings of $7,593,200. The bulk of that was earned in his win in the Dubai World Cup. He also won the Grade 2 Jim Dandy Stakes at 3 and the Grade 3 Razorback Handicap at 4, and placed in three other graded stakes.

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Mystic Guide finished second in the Grade 2 Suburban last July at Belmont in his only start following the World Cup. He emerged from the Suburban with a bone chip and, after its removal, was training this winter for a comeback. But conditioner Michael Stidham was unhappy with the way the horse was going. He was sent back to Kentucky for a full medical workup, and was cleared to resume training. He had been galloping steadily at Keeneland through the spring and worked three furlongs on April 16 and April 23.

"Horses of Mystic Guide’s caliber just don’t come along too often," Stidham said in the release. "To win the Dubai World Cup for Godolphin was obviously a special moment for me and my team and one that I’ll always remember. I’m sure the next chapter in his life will be equally as exciting."