Grade 1 Winner Gift Box Retired to Lane's End

Grade 1-winning millionaire Gift Box  has been retired from racing and will begin his new career as a stallion at Lane's End starting in 2021. The 7-year-old horse was a three-time graded stakes winner with a record of 18-6-6-2 from age 2 to 6.

In 2019, Gift Box was among the leading older horses in America after a string of graded stakes performances that included a victory in the Santa Anita Handicap Presented by San Manuel Indian Bingo and Casino (G1). He was retired as the highest-earning son of his second-ranked sixth-crop sire, Twirling Candy . He will join his sire along with his grandsire, Candy Ride , at Lane's End.

"Gift Box was an incredibly talented and consistent racehorse," trainer John Sadler said. "We ran him back-to-back in graded stakes race after graded stakes race, and he was only ever off the board once. These are attributes you do not often see in the modern racehorse. He had speed, toughness, sound enough to race on in the handicap division, everything a trainer wants in a two-turn dirt horse."

As a 2-year-old, Gift Box broke his maiden at Belmont for then-owner W.S. Farish, posting a 93 Beyer, before targeting the Remsen Stakes (G2) in his next start, where he was beaten by just three lengths into third. In doing so, he became a graded stakes performer in just his third start. Gift Box opened his 3-year-old campaign with a victory in a competitive allowance-level race at Belmont Park by 4 1/2 lengths, posting a 98 Beyer. His next start came in the Curlin Stakes, where he was defeated by subsequent grade 1 winner Connect . Just a month later, he finished fourth in the Travers Stakes (G1) at Saratoga Race Course to winner and eventual champion Arrogate , defeating grade 1 winners Connect, Creator, and Exaggerator .  

"Gift Box represents so much of what we're about at Lane's End. A grade 1 winner at a mile and a quarter on the dirt, speed, out of a tremendous mare from a sire line we believe in," Lane's End's Bill Farish said. "That's what we've been successful with, and I'm appreciative of the opportunity Hronis Racing has given us."

Gift Box's career hit new heights as an older horse when he got a much-deserved victory in the San Antonio Stakes (G2) at Santa Anita Park, defeating grade 1 winner Battle of Midway. His next start came in the Santa Anita Handicap where he defeated four-time grade 1 winner McKinzie . In his next start, he finished second in the Gold Cup at Santa Anita Stakes (G1) at Santa Anita, posting a 105 Beyer, before winning the San Antonio Stakes in his final start by almost four lengths, posting a career-high 107 Beyer. Gift Box posted four triple-digit Beyers in 2018-19.

"Gift Box was always involved in races of the highest level, and as owners, we could not ask any more than that," Kosta Hronis said. "John always had a tremendous amount of confidence in him, and time and time again Gift Box proved him right. We are going to stay involved in his next career as a stallion at Lane's End, where they have a proven track record of nurturing a young stallion's career."

Bred by Craig and Carrie Brogden of Machmer Hall, Gift Box was a $135,000 purchase in 2013 at The November Sale, Fasig-Tipton's select breeding stock sale. He is out of the Unbridled's Song mare Special Me, which makes him a half brother to grade 2 winners Stonetastic (Mizzen Mast ) and Special Forces (Candy Ride). His pedigree is free of Storm Cat and A.P. Indy, which will be appealing to breeders as both have been a proven success with Candy Ride and Twirling Candy, producing the likes of grade 1 winner Collusion Illusion.

"He is really a very interesting combination of Twirling Candy and Unbridled's Song," Farish said. "He's got the size and stretch of Unbridled's Song but really possesses the best qualities of both."

Gift Box will be syndicated and available for inspection in the coming weeks at Lane's End, and a stud fee will be determined.