Well Armed, winner of '09 World Cup, retired

Well Armed, who battled back from a fractured pelvis to win the 2009 Dubai World Cup, has been retired, co-owner Bill Casner announced on Wednesday.

Well Armed, 8, had not raced since last year and was in training for yet another attempted comeback. But he had swelling in a tendon following a half-mile workout at Hollywood Park on Jan. 20, and the decision was made to retire the gelding.

“Well Armed certainly occupies a special place in my heart,” said Casner, who campaigned Well Armed along with Kenny Troutt in their WinStar Farm partnership. “He was a horse that had true grit. He chipped a knee and fractured a hip as a 3-year-old, yet he came back to win the richest race in the world by an unimaginable margin. He had the desire and will to overcome adversity.”

Well Armed, trained by Eoin Harty, won the World Cup by a record-setting 14 lengths under jockey Aaron Gryder. Well Armed also won the Goodwood Stakes, San Antonio Handicap, and San Diego Handicap. He won 6 times in 23 starts and earned $5,171,009

“He is a barn favorite and he will be dearly missed,” Harty said.

Well Armed, by Tiznow, also was bred by WinStar. The partnership between Casner and Troutt ended last year. Well Armed will be retired to Casner’s ranch in Texas.