Mastery Retired After Claiborne Farm Arrival

Undefeated grade 1 winner Mastery has been retired after arriving at Claiborne Farm June 12, according to representative Bernie Sams.

The 3-year-old son of Candy Ride   will begin stud duty at the operation near Paris, Ky., in 2018.

Mastery was a perfect four-for-four in his racing career for Cheyenne Stables and Hall of Famer Bob Baffert, including dominant victories in last year's Los Alamitos Cash Call Futurity (G1) and Bob Hope Stakes (G3), and this year's San Felipe Stakes (G2).

In the San Felipe Stakes, Mastery was again much the best, winning impressively by 6 3/4 lengths to solidify his position as a top contender for this year's Triple Crown series. The dominant victory proved bittersweet, however, when Hall of Fame jockey Mike Smith pulled up Mastery following the race. Subsequent X-rays unfortunately revealed a condylar fracture in his front left leg.

Mastery underwent successful surgery March 13, and returned to Baffert's barn to recover before shipping to Claiborne.

"He's on the path to full recovery," Sams said. "He's an impressive, powerful-looking colt, and arrived in great condition. We're honored to have him join our stallion roster."  

"I want to commend the extraordinary effort by Bob Baffert and his team rehabbing Mastery in California and getting him back to this point," owner Everett Dobson of Cheyenne Stables said. "I'm very appreciative and extremely excited about his arrival at Claiborne Farm for the next chapter in his career."

"He was just starting to mature," Baffert added. "I'm still sick about him getting hurt. It's safe to say he was on the same path as American Pharoah  , the way he was dominating his races."

Mastery was bred in Kentucky by Stone Farm. He was purchased from the 2015 Keeneland September yearling sale by Cromwell Bloodstock for $425,000. He retires with earnings of $511,200.

Out of the winning Old Trieste mare Steady Course, Mastery is a half brother to stakes winner Clear Sailing. His dam is a half sister to Jump Start  , winner of the Saratoga Special Stakes (G2) and now a perennial leading sire in the Mid-Atlantic region. His third dam is a full sister to the great sire Miswaki.

Mastery will join a talented stallion roster at Claiborne that includes top international sire War Front  , Eclipse Award-winning champions Blame   and Runhappy  , and Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (G1) winner Orb  , along with Flatter  , First Samurai  , Data Link  , Lea  , Algorithms  , Ironicus  , and Trappe Shot  .