Terra's Angel, longtime fixture in Southwest racing, retired

Terra’s Angel, a multiple stakes winner who long has been a fixture in the Southwest, has been retired, according to her co-owner and trainer, Terry Eoff.

Terra’s Angel is a 5-year-old by Drosselmeyer who won 6 of 23 starts and earned $259,562. She won stakes on both dirt and turf; among her wins were the Del Mar Juvenile Fillies Turf and the La Senorita at Retama Park.

“She was just was an exceptional horse for us,” said Eoff, who raced Terra’s Angel with Johnny Evans. “She took us on a nice ride.”

Eoff said Terra’s Angel was given some time off during the Lone Star Park meet this summer and the decision was ultimately made to retire her from racing.

:: Click to learn about our DRF's Free Past Performance program.

“She tailed off her last two races,” Eoff said. “We’ll just breed her next year. We’ve got several possibilities. Probably number one on my list is Goldencents.”

Eoff said a decision on a stallion would likely be made in two or three weeks. The trainer and Evans plan to keep Terra’s Angel. She is named for Eoff’s late daughter, Terra.

Eoff and Evans also co-own Empire of Gold, a son of Goldencents who earlier this month ran a bold second in the Grade 2 Phoenix at Keeneland. The effort put him in the conversation for the Breeders’ Cup Sprint on Nov. 7 at Keeneland.

“It’s possible, but probably not,” Eoff said. “We’ll probably run in the Perryville for straight 3-year-olds on the dirt at Keeneland. It’s the same day. That’s probably our best bet.”

Empire of Gold won a maiden special weight in February at Sam Houston and later won conditioned allowances at Lone Star Park and Remington.