Two-time Grade 1 winner Paradise Woods retired

ARCADIA, Calif. – Paradise Woods, the winner of four graded stakes, has run her last race.

After finishing last of 11 in Saturday’s Breeders’ Cup Distaff at Santa Anita, Paradise Woods will be sent to Kentucky on Wednesday and will be bred in 2020, trainer John Shirreffs said on Sunday.

Shirreffs said stallion plans have not been determined and that the 5-year-old mare will be sent to Lane’s End Farm.

Owned by Marty and Pam Wygod and Steve Sarkowsky, Paradise Woods won five of 18 starts and earned $1,123,890 in a three-year career.

At 3 in 2017, Paradise Woods was trained by Richard Mandella. She won the Grade 1 Santa Anita Oaks and Grade 1 Zenyatta Stakes at Santa Anita before finishing third in the Breeders’ Cup Distaff that year at Del Mar.

Paradise Woods was winless in three starts in 2018, with her best result a third in the Grade 1 Beholder Mile at Santa Anita.

At the end of 2018, Paradise Woods was transferred by the owners to Shirreffs.

Under his direction, Paradise Woods won 2 of 7 starts this year, with the wins in the Grade 2 Santa Margarita Stakes by 10 1/2 lengths here on April 27 and the Grade 2 Zenyatta Stakes here on Sept. 29.

Paradise Woods fought off a challenge from Secret Spice to win the Zenyatta Stakes at 1 1/16 miles by 1 3/4 lengths.

“The big thing about the Zenyatta was that she fought it out with Secret Spice,” Shirreffs said. “She had a lot of desire.”

In the BC Distaff, Paradise Woods broke from the rail. She was prominent early and as close as second on the backstretch, but faded from contention in the final half-mile.

“She broke so hard she lost her footing behind,” Sherriffs said.