Bloodhorse 9y

Injury retires Main Sequence

Horse Racing

Multiple Grade 1 winner and two-time champion Main Sequence has been retired, according to Flaxman Holdings' racing manager Alan Cooper.

"Following Main Sequence's poor performance in the United Nations Stakes, a thorough veterinary examination was carried out last week," Cooper posted on the website of trainer Graham Motion's Herringswell Stables. "A tendon tear was discovered and the decision has been taken to retire him. The 2014 Eclipse champion turf male and Eclipse champion older male has given his owners great pleasure throughout his career."

The gelded son of Aldebaran -- Ikat, by Pivotal, had finished seventh in the United Nations, his third start of the year. Main Sequence was bred and raced by the Niarchos Family, which owns Flaxman Holdings. He won nine times and placed six times out of 21 starts. He retires with $3,428,666 in career earnings. The 6-year-old flourished when he was transfered to Motion in 2014, winning four consecutive grade I stakes including the Longines Breeders' Cup Turf.

Motion said the horse will be sent to his brother Alexander's Old Chapel Farm near Middlesburg, Va., for rehabilitation.

"Here at Fair Hill, he gets turned out every day, so it will just be extension of that," Motion said. The future of Main Sequence is undecided at this point, but Motion said the nature of his injury would not preclude him from a possible second career.

"It is an injury a horse can come back from. It is a matter of rest," he said. "But the horse doesn't owe anyone anything, and the family would like to see him retire a champion. He would be capable of doing other things, but it is all to be decided."

"Having a horse of this caliber who consistently performed at the highest level is an exceptional privilege. We are grateful to the Niarchos family's Flaxman Holdings and to David Lanigan, who facilitated the transfer of Main Sequence to Herringswell at the beginning of 2014," Cooper said.

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