Spend a Buck Comes Up With Injured Ankle and Is Retired by Owners

Spend a Buck, the rags-to-riches colt who won the Kentucky Derby and $4.2 million, has been retired and will go to stud in Kentucky, co-owners Dennis and Linda Diaz announced Saturday.

Spend A Buck injured an ankle Thursday while working out for a planned start in today’s Pennsylvania Derby. He remains a leading candidate for 3-year-old colt champion in 1985, along with Chief’s Crown.

Spend a Buck, who was acquired for just $12,000, retired as the second-leading all-time money-winner. John Henry, who retired this summer at the age of 10, is No. 1.

Spend a Buck ran just 15 races in his two-year career, winning 10, finishing second three times and third twice. He won racing’s single-largest payday, $2.6 million, with a neck victory in the Jersey Derby May 27.

“The ankle is blown up (swollen) but there are no fractures or chips,” Dennis Diaz said. “But it’s either give him three months off or retire him, and we didn’t plan to race him next year.

“He’s done everything to prove he’s the 3-year-old champion.”

Spend a Buck will stand at stud at Lane’s End Farm, near Lexington, Ky.