Twilight Eclipse Retired, to Begin Training in Eventing

Owner West Point Thoroughbreds said Twilight Eclipse, who once sold at auction for $1,000 but reached racing's heights, has been retired from racing.

Grade 1-winning multi-millionaire Twilight Eclipse retires sound and will begin retraining for a second career in eventing. Since March he was conditioned by Graham Motion after being handled most of his career by trainer Tom Albertrani.

The 8-year-old Purim gelding hit the board in 19 graded stakes races for Albertrani, with his biggest win coming in the 2015 Man o' War Stakes (G1T) at Belmont Park. A four-time Breeders' Cup Turf (G1T) participant who set a world record for 1 1/2 miles (any surface) when winning the 2013 Pan American Stakes (G2T) in 2:22.63 at Gulfstream Park, he retires with an overall record of 8-5-11 from 40 starts and earnings of $2,103,953.

"Twilight Eclipse is one of racing's unsung heroes, a durable and honest horse who showed up at the highest level time and time again," said West Point president Terry Finley. "He took a great group of partners on an incredible journey all over the country and across the world to Dubai in 2014. He owes us nothing, and Mother Nature was telling us it's time. 

"I'm forever grateful to Tom Albertrani and his team for keeping him sound and at the top of his game for five years. We'll miss having him in the barn, but look forward to seeing him excel in his second career." 

Bred in Kentucky by Epona Thoroughbreds, Twilight Eclipse is out of the Twilight Agenda mare My Twilight Dancer. Initially purchased for $1,000 by John Langemeier at the 2010 Keeneland January horses of all ages sale, West Point Thoroughbreds purchased Twilight Eclipse privately in the summer of 2012 after he started his career with back-to-back wins at Indiana Grand Racing & Casino.