Whitmore retired after fifth-place finish in Forego

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Trainer Ron Moquett wasted little time announcing Whitmore’s retirement shortly after the reigning sprint champion was vanned off following his fifth-place finish in Saturday’s Grade 1 Forego. But apparently that news came as a surprise to Whitmore himself, who acted like it was business as usual around the barn Sunday morning.

“He’s fine, he ate all his food last night, he was walking around his stall soundly and ready for his normal rituals at the barn this morning,” Moquett reported. “He doesn’t know he’s been retired.”

Although Moquett said all was apparently well with Whitmore on Sunday, he was waiting for Dr. Larry Bramlage from the Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital, to go over all the X-rays before breathing a final sigh of relief.

“He’s bearing weight and acting normally today, but we’re going to take every precaution before we think about shipping him home,” Moquett said.

Whitmore was never a serious factor after dropping well off the early leaders in the Forego, ultimately finishing 5 1/2 lengths behind wire-to-wire winner Yaupon. Jockey Joel Rosario then jumped off Whitmore a short ways past the wire after pulling him up on the clubhouse turn.

“I ran down the track and when I got to him, the first thing Joel said to me was ‘boss, he’s okay, he just didn’t feel right,' ” Moquett recalled. “He said his first thought was the horse was having a heat stroke. These guys are so intuitive. If the horses don’t feel normal, they jump off and take care of the animal. I’ll never be able to thank him enough for having done that.”

Whitmore, an 8-year-old gelded son of Pleasantly Perfect, retires with 15 victories in 43 career starts and earnings of more than $4.5 million. He achieved the pinnacle of his amazing career last fall, at the age of 7, when rallying to a one-sided victory in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint at Keeneland to clinch his divisional championship.

Other career highlights include his first Grade 1 victory in the 2019 Forego, capturing the Count Fleet Sprint Handicap at Oaklawn Park on three separate occasions, and having participated in four consecutive renewals of the Breeders’ Cup Sprint, finishing eighth in 2017, second in 2018, and third in 2019 before winning the race a year ago.

:: DRF's Saratoga headquarters – Stakes schedule, previews, recaps, past performances, and more

“I think for all he’s accomplished on the track, the highlight of his career, for me, is the reaction and respect he’s gotten from everyone based on his consistency,” Moquett said. “He was an over-achiever who had plenty of ability, but who basically did everything on guts and effort. I’m proud to say I knew he was going to give me his all every time I led him over to run.”

Moquett said plans for Whitmore’s future are still up in the air.

“He’s going to stay with us, what we have to figure out is what he wants to do in retirement,” said Moquett, who is also part owner of Whitmore. “Does he want to be a pasture pet or maybe an ambassador for retired racehorses to become hunter-jumpers? Or perhaps be the lead pony for the Count Fleet at Oaklawn or whatever track might want to name a race in his honor. Whatever it may be, he’ll tell us. We’ll just let him decide.“