3 minute read
Triple Group One winner Shoals has been retired after taking a battering in Saturday’s TJ Smith Stakes at Randwick won by her stablemate Santa Ana Lane.
The Anthony Freedman stable reported that the valuable daughter of Fastnet Rock was 2/5 lame after she finished eighth in the $2.5 million sprint.
Owners Arrowfield Stud and Pinecliff Racing confirmed her retirement on Sunday.
Arrowfield principal John Messara suggested Shoals may be served by resident sire Dundeel in the spring after shelving early plans to send the mare to Deep Impact in Japan.
“There was a possibility that we could send her to Deep Impact but he’s currently out of service so that’s not possible,” Messara said.
Deep Impact has been withdrawn from service this year after suffering a neck injury.
Messara said Shoals was lucky to escape serious injury in the TJ Smith Stakes.
“She was four out of five lame and both of her eyes were closed as a result of clods,” Messara said.
“She had pain in both heels, she was a sorry sight.”
Shoals will retire with a record of eight wins and five placings from only 15 starts, earning $2.535 milion.
She recorded her G1 wins in the Myer Classic, Surround Stakes and Robert Sangster Stakes and also won the G2 Percy Sykes Stakes and G3 Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes. She was also placed in the G1 Thousand Guineas and G1 Canterbury Stakes.
A brother to Shoals was sold for $2.3 million as a yearling in 2018.
The Lindsay Park stable has confirmed that Fifty Stars will be spelled but will press on with the 3YO filly Fundamentalist after their Doncaster Mile performances.
Co-trainer David Hayes said Fundamentalist will stay in work for the G1 All Aged Stakes (1400m) at Randwick on April 20 after finishing 11th in the Doncaster.
“She pulled up well. She’d had a month between runs, so she wasn’t too bad,” Hayes said.
Hayes said Fifty Stars needed a break after his Doncaster 12th from his wide gate.
“He’s done a good job this campaign. He just got a really bad run in the Doncaster,” Hayes said.