Multiple Grade 1 winner Adare Manor retired and to be offered at Fasig-Tipton November Sale

From an emotional standpoint, it's never easy for an owner when a star thoroughbred heads to the breeding shed.

But for Michael Lund Petersen, the announcement that his three-time Grade 1-winning five-year-old mare Adare Manor has been retired included some solace in knowing he enjoyed something special during her four years of racing.

"I wish all of my horses ran like her," said Petersen. "She's been a dream. What a horse she is and such incredible results. It's amazing. She is also the sweetest horse you will ever be around. I’m a very proud owner."

A winner of ten of 18 starts, with five seconds, for Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert, Petersen said the decision to retire the $2 million-earning daughter of Uncle Mo was based on Baffert's belief that she would not be ready for the November 2 Breeders' Cup Distaff at Del Mar.

"We didn't want to jeopardise the name she made for herself if Bob couldn't get her back in shape for the Breeders' Cup," said Petersen. "We would have loved to run her. She's 100 per cent healthy."

So, instead of running at the Breeders’ Cup, Adare Manor will be sold on November 4 at the Fasig-Tipton November Sale. 

Petersen said he had no interest in retaining a share of her breeding rights or racing her next year.

"I don't want to deal with that end of the business," he said about the possibility of breeding her. "I know nothing about it. I’ll let people who are good at what they are doing handle that."

Adare Manor won three of her four 2024 starts, namely the Grade 1 Clement L Hirsch Stakes on August 3, which was her last race, the Grade 1 Apple Blossom Stakes and Grade 2 Santa Margarita Stakes. 

She was second in the Grade 1 Beholder Mile Stakes to start the year and rates as a top contender for the Eclipse Award for Outstanding Older Dirt Female, depending on what happens in the upcoming Distaff.

In all, she won eight stakes races, including the Grade 1 Hirsch twice. She was bred by Town & Country Horse Farms and Gary Broad out of the Giant Gizmo mare Brooklynsway.

Adare Manor was bought by bloodstock agent Donato Lanni for $375,000 from the Julie Davies consignment at the 2021 OBS June Two-Year-Olds and Horses of Racing Age Sale.

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