Mage, the 2023 Kentucky Derby winner, has been officially retired – with the next chapter for the 3 year-old a career at the Airdrie Stud.
Kentucky Derby Winner Mage Retired
The Gustavo Delgado-trained Mage, who entered the US horse racing hall-of-fame by winning the 2023 Kentucky Derby, won’t race on as a 4 year-old.
Mage was last seen running down the field (last of 7) in the Travers Stakes at Saratoga on August 8, but will not be seen on the track again, with a career at the Airdrie Stud in Kentucky next up for the 3 year-old.
⭐️ HAPPY RETIREMENT MAGE!
🥺 We will miss him when he joins @AirdrieStud for the 2024 breeding season@GDS_Racing | @GustavoJDelgado | @RamiroRestrepo | @MageHorse pic.twitter.com/3umVnVDn5m
— World Horse Racing (@WHR) November 27, 2023
Mage first burst onto the US horse racing scene at the end of January, when winning a Maiden Special Weight at Gulfstream Park by an impressive 3 3/4 lengths.
He then improved on that run to be 4th in the G2 Fountain Of Youth Stakes and then finished runner-up in the G1 Florida Derby – beaten by times by Forte. To set up a tilt at the Run for the Roses.
Forte was expected to be his big rival again in the 2023 Kentucky Derby but the Todd Pletcher runner, who was the favorite with the best US horse racing betting sites, was a late scratch after a failed drug test.
This made life easier for Mage, who was sent off as 152/10 in the Kentucky Derby betting and with no Forte in the race managed to reward backers – winning by a length from Two Phil’s and Angel Of Empire at Churchill Downs on May 6 (watch below).
Mage Career In Numbers
- Runs: 7
- Wins: 2
- Top 3 Finishes: 5
- Career Earnings: $2,507,450
Mage Failed To Win Again After His Kentucky Derby Success
The 2023 Kentucky Derby win led to Mage’s owners dreaming of US Triple Crown glory as he was turned out just two weeks later in the Preakness Stakes at Pimlico.
However, despite being sent off as the 7/5 favorite the TC dream died with Mage only managing third behind the Bob Baffett-trained National Treasure.
Mage was freshened up with a two-month break after, with his next run a second in the Haskell Stakes at Monmouth Park. While the last time racing fans saw him was in the Travers Stakes at Saratoga at the end of August, when flopping to finish last of seven.
Meaning the Good Magic colt ended his career having had seven runs and winning just twice. But in the process he still banked a cool $2.5m and can expect his earnings to increase further now heading to stud.
WATCH: Mage Winning The 2023 Kentucky Derby
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