2020 Breeders' Cup Turf Winner Tarnawa Retired

Dermot Weld ranked Tarnawa  among the finest horses he has trained in his nearly 50-year career when revealing Nov. 11 that the Aga Khan's exceptional mare had been retired.

Among the highest-rated performers in Europe over the last two seasons, a decision to call time on Tarnawa's stellar career was taken after she failed to fire as the favorite in the Nov. 6 Longines Breeders' Cup Turf (G1T) at Del Mar.

Speaking to the Racing Post, Weld said: "(Tarnawa) goes into honorable retirement after being the most brilliant racemare for me to train. She's put in some magnificent performances at the highest level—she's been wonderful.

"We saw her race for four seasons and she got better with every run. She's right up there with the very best I've ever trained because she had some terrific qualities of determination, talent, and class."

An impressive winner of the Qatar Prix Vermeille (G1) and Prix de l'Opera Longines (G1) before beating the boys in a high-quality edition of the Breeders' Cup Turf at Keeneland last season, Tarnawa was sportingly kept in training for 2021 with the aim of landing the Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe (G1).

Despite a bold bid in extremely testing conditions, the daughter of Shamardal  came up short with a runner-up finish at ParisLongchamp, finishing three-quarters of a length behind shock German winner Torquator Tasso .

It was a second near-miss of the campaign for the 122-rated mare, having been edged out by the same margin in a controversial Irish Champion Stakes (G1) when St Mark's Basilica  leaned across the track in her path.

"I very much appreciated His Highness keeping her in training as a 5-year-old because it's not his policy," said Weld.

"She rewarded that decision with two fabulous efforts when just touched off by the Cartier Horse of the Year in St Mark's Basilica at Leopardstown, and then in the Arc.

"I would say that with average luck, a little better ground and a nicer draw, she could have won in Paris. I feel the draw may have cost her the Arc.

"She had marvelous determination and what an addition she will be for His Highness' broodmare band. It was one of my biggest ambitions to win a major race at the Breeders' Cup and she fulfilled that at Keeneland last year."

A grueling Longchamp test last month has been cited as a factor in Tarnawa's disappointing Breeders' Cup effort last weekend, when she finished 11th of 14 behind Yibir .

"I would feel that the edge had maybe just come off her somewhat," Weld added. "She was in great form coming into the race but had an exceptionally tough race in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe on extremely testing ground. She gave her all in trying to win the Arc.

"Combining that with the long travel to California just took the edge off her. She looked magnificent and everything was right with her, but the mental sharpness just wasn't quite there."

Tarnawa, a daughter of the group-placed Cape Cross  mare Tarana, retires with nine wins from 18 trips to the post and $4,508,464 in earnings.