Champion mare Idiomatic, a five-time Grade 1 winner and defending Breeders’ Cup Distaff (G1) victor, has been retired from racing after she came up lame on Friday morning.
"Unfortunately, it will rule her out of running in the Breeders' Cup and it has been decided to retire her to stud," breeder/owner Juddmonte Farms said in a statement. “Idiomatic was a model of consistency who elevated herself to Grade 1 level and stayed there for two exciting campaigns.
“Her power, ability, and honesty were exciting characteristics. This is the first time she has been sidelined, which is a tribute to her soundness."
The 5-year-old Idiomatic, the 2023 Eclipse Award winner as champion older dirt female, was preparing to challenge 3-year-old star filly Thorpedo Anna in the Breeders' Cup Distaff on Nov. 2 at Del Mar.
Trainer Brad Cox said lameness in the left knee was discovered during a routine inspection prior to training at Churchill Downs.
"We found something different (when she was trotting on the pavement outside Cox’s barn), the trainer said. “We immediately took X-rays and saw something was brewing. Nothing major at all, just needs time but obviously the timing is awful ... I'm glad we caught it before it became worse than it did.”
A daughter of Curlin, Idiomatic will go down as one of the most successful females in racing – 12 victories in 15 starts, with three seconds and two thirds for earnings of $3,944,190.
Her Grade 1 wins came in the 2023 Personal Ensign, the Spinster, and the BC Distaff; this year she won the La Troienne and repeated in the Spinster. Her two defeats in 2024 were by a head to Randomized in the Ogden Phipps and by a head to Raging Sea in the Personal Ensign.
National Treasure, the 2023 Preakness Stakes (G1) winner trained by Hall of Famer Bob Baffert, is out of the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile (G1) due to foot issues.
The 4-year-old Quality Road colt was preparing to take on 2024 Preakness winner Seize the Grey in the Dirt Mile. Last year, National Treasure finished a close second to Cody’s Wish in the Dirt Mile.
National Treasure won two of five races in 2024, the Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1) in January and the Metropolitan Handicap (G1) at Saratoga on June 8. In his most recent race, he was second to Subsanador in the California Crown (G1) on Sept. 28.
“We need more time, so we’re not going to enter him,” Baffert told drf.com. “Unfortunately, it’s all about timing. He’s been good to us.”
Two other Baffert-trainees have been ruled out of the Breeders’ Cup – Prince of Monaco in the Sprint (minor bone bruising, retired) and Fort Bragg was removed from the Dirt Mile also-eligible pre-entries list.
The post-position draw for the 14 Breeders’ Cup is Monday, Oct. 28.
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