Grade I Winner Well Armed Retired

Well Armed, best known for his record-breaking 14-length victory in the 2009 Dubai World Cup Sponsored by Emirates Airline (UAE-I), has been retired from racing.

Bred and raced in the name WinStar Farm, the 8-year-old gelded son of WinStar stallion Tiznow had been attempting a comeback with West Coast trainer Eoin Harty, but he came up with a small filling in a tendon following a half-mile workout Jan. 20 at Hollywood Park. Although the ultrasound showed no tears, the decision was made to retire him.

“Well Armed had been training like a 3-year-old,” Harty said. “He is the epitome of a racehorse and dearly loves his task. He is a barn favorite, and he will be dearly missed.”

Well Armed’s margin in the World Cup remains a record. The runner-up, Gloria de Campeao, captured the race in 2010.

Well Armed, who was a Dubai champion the year of his World Cup triumph, was a leading older male in 2008. Based in California, he won the Goodwood Handicap (gr. I), the San Antonio Handicap (gr. II), and the San Diego Handicap (gr. II), setting a track record in the latter. That year, he ran third in the Dubai World Cup, and second in the Pacific Classic (gr. I) and the San Pasqual Handicap (gr. II).

During his career, Well Armed won or placed in a dozen of 24 starts and earned $5,179,803.

“Well Armed certainly occupies a special place in my heart,” said Bill Casner, who owned WinStar with Kenny Troutt. “He was a horse that had true grit. He chipped a knee and fractured a hip as a 3-year-old, yet he came back to win the richest race in the world by an unimaginable margin. He had the desire and will to overcome adversity.”

Well Armed, out of the stakes-placed Notebook mare Well Dressed, is a half brother to graded stakes winner Witty and to grade I stakes-placed Helsinki. Well Armed will serve out his retirement at Casner’s ranch in Texas.