Touch Tone retired to Texas

Touch Tone, the 2001 Iowa Derby winner who finished a game second to eventual Horse of the Year Point Given in the Haskell Invitational, has been retired because of a breathing problem. He will enter stud at JEH Stallion Station in Pilot Point, Texas, and will stand for a fee of $2,500.

Tom Durant owns Touch Tone and decided to retire the colt after his ninth-place finish to Orientate in the Breeders' Cup Sprint on Oct. 24. In his only other start this year, Touch Tone came back from orthoscopic surgery to set the pace and finish third in the Grade 3 Phoenix Breeders' Cup at Keeneland.

"In his two races this year, at the same identical spot, he seemed to fall back out of the race," said Durant. "He wasn't able to finish because of a breathing problem, and that's the main reason we decided to retire him."

Touch Tone, a son of deceased stallion Pick Up the Phone, won three of eight career starts and $632,850. Ronny Werner trained the colt, who will stand as the property of Durant.