River Boyne retired with sesamoid injury

River Boyne, a seven-time stakes winner and one of the top turf milers in California this year, has been retired because of a sesamoid injury, co-owner Tim Cohen said on Thursday.

The injury occurred recently in training, Cohen said. River Boyne won 9 of 25 starts and earned $1,229,918 for Cohen’s Rancho Temescal and the Red Baron’s Barn of his parents, Jed and Roberta Cohen.

Tim Cohen said River Boyne’s injury is not life threatening, but will “keep him from racing.”

Plans for a stallion career have not been finalized, Cohen said.

:: Want to get your Past Performances for free? Click to learn more.

“He has been a pleasure to own, showed his grit, and determination in every race,” Cohen said. “River Boyne took us on a wonderful journey of racing.”

A 5-year-old Irish-bred, River Boyne won the most prestigious race of his career in the Grade 1 Frank Kilroe Mile at Santa Anita in March and finished fourth, beaten three lengths, in the Grade 1 Shoemaker Mile at Santa Anita on May 25 in his final start.

Trained by Jeff Mullins, River Boyne was outstanding at 3 in 2018. He won five stakes that year, including two Grade 2 races at Santa Anita – the Twilight Derby at 1 1/8 miles and the Mathis Brothers Mile at the end of the year.

River Boyne, by the Mozart stallion Dandy Man, began his career in Europe where he was winless in three starts.