Breeders' Cup Classic Winner Bayern Retired

Kaleem Shah's Bayern, winner of the 2014 Breeders' Cup Classic (gr. I), has officially been retired following his third-place finish as the 6-5 favorite in the Awesome Again Stakes (gr. I) Sept. 26 at Santa Anita Park.

As previously announced, the 4-year-old colt will enter stud next year at John Sikura's Hill 'n' Dale Farm near Lexington. The Sept. 28 announcement came a day after trainer Bob Baffert said the future status of the son of Offlee Wild  —Alittlebitearly, by Thunder Gulch, was being evaluated.

Bayern has a 6-1-3 record from 15 career starts that include wins in the 2014 William Hill Haskell Invitational (gr. I), Pennsylvania Derby (gr. II), and Woody Stephens Stakes (gr. II) for earnings of more than $4.4 million.Bred in Kentucky by Helen Alexander, Bayern was purchased for $320,000 at the 2013 Fasig-Tipton Midlantic May 2-year-olds in training sale.

Bayern's Classic victory was one of the most controversial in recent U.S. racing history. Ridden by Martin Garcia, Bayern veered into Shared Belief shortly after the start of the $5 million race and led throughout, holding on to outlast Toast of New York, who also cut in leaving the gate, and California Chrome in a thrilling stretch duel. Stewards determined the early contact did not influence the outcome of the 1 1/4-mile race.

"Bayern was a super talented horse. He had tremendous speed and carried that speed to win the Breeder's Cup Classic over a very good field and won the Woody Stephens wrapped up in near track record time," Baffert said in a statement. "He is a great looking horse and a rarity in that he could beat the best sprinters and carry his speed a mile and a quarter. Not many horses can do that. On his day he was a super brilliant horse. Something was bugging him this year that we could never figure out even though he trained great. It's time to retire the horse and be thankful of all he has accomplished."



"Bayern is a great type, medium sized, beautifully balanced very powerful," said Donato Lanni, who selected Bayern at auction. "His work was fantastic at the Maryland sale and I told Bob we had to buy him. He was our pick of the sale and everyone loved the horse. He cost $320,000 but we were determined to buy him whatever it took."

"I love the brilliance, the physical horse and the fact that he hails from the Courtly Dee pedigree," Sikura said in a release. "His race in the Woody Stephens was breathtaking. I was there and was awed by how fast and easy he won in near track record time. I love deep reproducing pedigrees and I don't think there is a more prolific family in the stud book than Courtly Dee and her daughters. Bayern has all the parts and we can't wait to receive him here at the farm."



"Bayern gave me and my family great joy, I am looking forward to breeding my best mares to him and can't wait to see his foals," said Kaleem Shah. "He gave me the ultimate thrill winning the Breeder's Cup Classic and I hope to win important races with his progeny. I keep my mares at Hill 'n Dale so I will get to visit him regularly."