Performer Retired to Stand at Claiborne Farm in 2022

Phipps Stable and Claiborne Farm's multiple graded stakes winner Performer  has been retired from racing and will retire to stud at Claiborne Farm beginning in 2022. 

Trained by Shug McGaughey, the 5-year-old son of Speightstown   last raced in February at Gulfstream Park where he finished third in the WinStar Gulfstream Park Mile Stakes (G2). 

Connections said Performer had been retired due to an ankle injury that occurred during the Gulfstream Park Mile. 

"He's unfortunately been retired," said Walker Hancock of Claiborne Farm. "He came out of his last race with an ankle issue—the same ankle that caused him to miss time the first go around so in his best interest it's not wise to race him again. We don't want to risk further injury and we always want to put the horse first. So that is what we're doing." 

Bred in Kentucky by Phipps Stable, Performer is the last registered foal out of the A.P. Indy mare Protesting, who also produced stakes winner Breaking the Rules  (by War Front  ). The horse broke his maiden on second asking at 3, kicking off a five-race win streak that include his first graded stakes score in the Discovery Stakes (G3) at Aqueduct Racetrack in the fall of 2019. 

While Performer returned to racing at 4, his first start back came late in 2020 after the horse was sidelined by his first ankle injury that kept him out of training for just under a year. He went on to win his first start of the season in an allowance optional claiming race at Belmont Park before finishing third to True Timber  in the Cigar Mile Handicap (G1) at Aqueduct in December. 

In his first start of 2021, Performer added the Fred W. Hooper Stakes (G3) at Gulfstream to his win column. He retires with a 6-0-3 record in nine starts with earnings of $420,475.

Hancock said that due to the timing of the injury and the fact that the 2021 breeding season is already in full swing, the decision was made to wait until next year's breeding season to ensure the new stallion will have every chance to succeed. 

"Unfortunately the timing was bad and it wouldn't be fair to him to breed a quarter-size book this year, so we will wait and breed him to a full book in 2022," said Hancock. "He hurt his ankle in the race and it was a gutsy effort for him to finish third really. He's a really cool horse, very talented, and has a great pedigree so we're excited to stand him next year. It's unfortunate his career was cut short but we will hope for a great stud career."