South African Champion Jet Dark Retired

The Drakenstein Stud-bred South African champion Jet Dark  has been retired from racing and will return home to the Stellenbosch operation for the upcoming breeding season. 

By Drakenstein's stalwart champion sire Trippi, Jet Dark won nine of his 19 starts for champion trainer Justin Snaith, with group wins at ages 2, 3, 4, and 5, including the 2021 and 2022 Queen's Plate (G1), Champions Cup (G1), and the Cape Town Met (G1) last month.

Jet Dark collected an enviable number of titles during his racing career, including the 2020-21 Equus champion 3-year-old colt, 2020-21 and 2021-22 Equus champion miler, 2021-22 Equus champion older male and 2021-22 Equus champion middle distance horse.

He is out of the winning Jet Master mare Night Jet, a half sister to South African listed winners Night Trip  and Brown Penny. Night Jet hails from the family of Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe (G1) hero Peintre Celebre

Snaith, who helped select Jet Dark as a yearling, said: "Jet Dark was an incredibly easy horse to train. He was a gentleman with the kindest temperament which allowed me to get the best out of him while retiring him completely sound. 

"I will be sad to see him go as I believe he had a few group 1s left in the tank, but I cannot wait to buy his yearlings!"

The 5-year-old has been introduced at an opening fee of R30,000 (US$1,664).