Osborne Pays Tribute to Retired Toast of New York

Trainer Jamie Osborne has paid tribute to Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) runner-up Toast of New York, who has been retired—again—at 8 years old.

After making his debut for Osborne and then owner Michael Buckley in August 2013, Toast of New York went on to net just shy of £2 million (US$3,059,793) in prize money in 13 starts spanning five years, during which time he also went to stud.

The son of Thewayyouare won the 2014 U.A.E. Derby Sponsored By The Saeed & Mohammed Al Naboodah Group (G2), but his career highlight arguably came in defeat when he was a diminishing nose away from becoming only the second British-trained horse to win the Breeders' Cup Classic.

Toast of New York was edged out by the Bob Baffert-trained Bayern  at Santa Anita Park in November 2014, producing a thrilling three-way finish also involving California Chrome , who was a neck away in third.

He was subsequently purchased by Al Shaqab Racing, but a tendon injury led to him being retired and sent to stud. However, he was subfertile and returned to training in 2017.

After a low-key comeback win at Lingfield, Toast of New York finished a distant last in the 2018 Pegasus World Cup Invitational Stakes (G1) at Gulfstream Park, after which he was gelded. He produced reasonable efforts in three subsequent runs last year but without recapturing his best form.

"We've got to the point now where taking him any further isn't going to be in his interest, so we've decided to call it a day," Osborne said Sunday. "Since Al Shaqab bought him, he's had lots of issues, which has been incredibly unlucky for them. They've been extremely understanding of the whole situation.

"It was an extraordinary career in a way because he ran only 13 times but still won just short of £2 million. He'll probably be best-remembered for being beaten an inch or two in the Breeders' Cup Classic."

Osborne, for whom Toast of New York has been something of a yard flag-bearer, continued: "We've had a fantastic journey with him. There have been highs and lows, for sure, and it's been a career peppered with disappointment along the way. However, for me he came along at the right time and changed my life, he changed Michael Buckley's life, and we're forever grateful.

"We now owe it to the horse to give him a great retirement. He's not a horse who would be happy doing nothing. He needs to be active, so we'll be sure to find him a nice purpose in life," he added. "He's still in the yard at the moment, and, along with Jimmy McCarthy, who has been at his side since he was a yearling, we're going to see if we can do some kind of retraining of racehorses class with him."