Ring Weekend begins next career

The very generous and high-level runner Ring Weekend has moved on to a new career and is being trained as an event horse by Olympic Gold Medal winner Phillip Dutton.

Purchased by West Point Thoroughbreds for $310,000 at the 2012 Keeneland September sale, Ring Weekend was trained throughout his career by Graham Motion. From 2014 to 2016, the gelded son of Tapit won six graded stakes, at Saratoga, Belmont Park, Del Mar, Santa Anita, and Tampa Bay Downs. Two of his more memorable victories came in the Grade 1 Frank Kilroe Mile on turf and the Grade 2 Tampa Bay Derby on dirt.

Ring Weekend was retired after finishing seventh in the Grade 2 King Edward on the June 30 Queen’s Plate card. He won his 2018 debut in an optional-claiming race at Gulfstream Park in February, and although he didn’t reach the winner’s circle last year at 6, came within 1 3/4 lengths of a second Kilroe score.

Dutton was a member of Ring Weekend’s ownership group. Ring Weekend is in training at his True Prospect Farm in West Grove, Pa., and has already started sharpening his jumping skills in the training center ring. Dutton has conditioned a number of Motion’s retired runners, including Icabad Crane, who has gone on to be quite successful in his new endeavor.