Cartier Horse of the Year Minding Retired
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Photo: Steven Cargill / Racingfotos.com
Minding and Ryan Moore after their win in the 2016 Queen Elizabeth II Stakes at Ascot
Ballydoyle trainer Aidan O'Brien announced July 13 that last season's Cartier Horse of the Year Minding has been retired.
Winner of the Camelot Irish E.B.F. Mooresbridge Stakes (G2) at Naas May 1 in her 2017 debut, Minding suffered a setback as she prepared for a May 26 tilt in the Tattersalls Gold Cup (G1) at the Curragh, an injury that forced her to miss a great part of the racing year.
A champion at 2 on the strength of season-ending victories in the Moyglare Stud Stakes (G1) and the Dubai Fillies' Mile (G1), Minding added five more group 1 victories from seven starts as a sophomore. She won the QIPCO One Thousand Guineas and Investec Oaks to become only the second filly this century to take both of those English classics, and the third since 1990.
Proving O'Brien's opinion that she is indeed "one of the best fillies I have ever trained," Minding finished her sophomore season with a victory over a fine collection of older horses in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes (G1) with regular jockey Ryan Moore.
Minding, a 4-year-old daughter of Galileo—Lillie Langtry, by Danehill Dancer, retired with nine victories (seven in group 1 races) from 13 starts and earnings of $3,213,340. She never finished off the board.
On the day Minding's retirement was announced, her 2-year-old full sister Conquest debuted at Leopardstown, where she finished fifth.