Stakes winner Cease retired

Cease, the winner of the 2012 Maxxam Gold Cup who also finished third in that year’s Grade 1 Woodward at Saratoga, has been retired from racing at the age of 9.

Trainer Eddie Barker, who claimed Cease for $12,500 last fall, only got to run him twice. He said Cease, a gelding by War Chant, sustained a crack in his humerus bone that likely would need 45 days to heal. Barker said he likely could get Cease back to the races, but “then I still got to train him over this winter track for 60 days and pound on him. He’s made $700,000; it’s not fair to him.”

Cease, bred and originally campaigned by Claiborne Farm, made $714,937 and had a career record of 6-6-12 from 43 starts.

Barker said a woman in Texas has purchased Cease and plans to make him a riding horse.