Spain, Who Is in Foal, Is Retired

Spain, a 5-year-old mare who earned a record $3.5 million, most recently sharing purses after a win and a third-place finish while in foal, has been retired. Prince Ahmed bin Salman’s Thoroughbred Corp., the breeder and owner of Spain, said she has been sent to Three Chimneys Farm in Midway, Ky., where she is due to deliver a foal next April.

Spain finished with $3,540,542 in purses, winning nine of 35 races. She also had nine seconds and seven thirds. She broke the record for earnings by a filly or mare when she won the Louisville Handicap at Churchill Downs on May 3. She scored her biggest win for trainer Wayne Lukas in the 2000 Breeders’ Cup Distaff at Churchill.

Spain was bred to Storm Cat on May 15. A month later, she won the Fleur De Lis Handicap at Churchill. Saturday, in her final race, she ran third at Monmouth Park in the Molly Pitcher Handicap.

“I think they took the position that adding on to the [earnings] record is nice, but it really has no significance [on her breeding career] and, God forbid, something would happen to her,” trainer D. Wayne Lukas told Associated Press.