Imprimis , a graded stakes-winning turf sprinter for Breeze Easy, has been retired due to ankle injury, trainer Joe Orseno said.
The 8-year-old Broken Vow gelding, who captured nine of 21 races and $883,483, had been in training this winter at Gulfstream Park, recording a series of workouts there. His most recent work was a :48 2/5 half-mile March 8 over the Gulfstream's Tapeta surface, a synthetic track on which Orseno likes to breeze his turf horses.
Imprimis came out of the workout "a little off," and scans displayed wear and tear in the injured ankle that would require four to six months off, Orseno said. The trainer then discussed the outlook with owners Sam Ross and Mike Hall of Breeze Easy.
"They would do it with any horse, but with this horse in particular, for him to go out into a big race and maybe risk injury, the risk wasn't worth the reward and we decided the pull the plug," Orseno said.
Daily Racing Form first reported his retirement.
Despite repeat throat surgeries that took him out of action at times, Florida-based Imprimis captured six stakes across the country, topped by the 2019 Shakertown Stakes (G2T) at Keeneland and the 2020 Runhappy Turf Sprint Stakes (G3T) at Kentucky Downs. He twice ran in the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint (G1T), running sixth in the race at Santa Anita Park in 2019 and 13th the next year at Keeneland. He even traveled overseas to compete at Royal Ascot, finishing sixth in the King's Stand Stakes (G1) in 2019.
"He was a lot of fun," Orseno said.
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His final start was a 10th-place finish in the Turf Sprint Sept. 11 at Kentucky Downs, a race sponsored by FanDuel last year. It was his only poor performance in five starts last year. He won the Janus Stakes at Gulfstream in the kickoff race of his 2021 season.
Orseno said he has asked his friend and fellow trainer Carlo Vaccarezza to reach out to Michael Blowen, founder of Old Friends Thoroughbred Retirement Farm, to inquire about Imprimis joining the lineup of retired stars at the Georgetown, Ky., aftercare facility.
"A horse like this deserves to be at a place that," Orseno said.
In retirement, visitors are advised to have more than carrots and apples to feed Imprimis as a treat. The veteran campaigner is fond of oranges and other types of citrus.
"Must be because he's a Florida-bred, I guess," Orseno quipped.
Bred in the Sunshine State by Craig Wheeler, Imprimis raced for Wheeler and trainer Tim Hills before Breeze Easy acquired the horse privately and Orseno became his trainer. He is one of two black-type horses produced by his dam, the Put It Back mare Shoppers Return . Her latest foal is a yearling colt by Frosted .