Empire Maker Retired

Empire Maker was retired Tuesday in an expected move marking the end of a racing career highlighted by a Belmont Stakes victory that denied Funny Cide the Triple Crown.

The 3-year-old colt won four of eight career starts with three runner-up finishes, one in the Kentucky Derby. He will stand stud at Juddmonte Farms in Lexington.

“Empire Maker is the best horse I have ever trained,” Hall of Fame trainer Bobby Frankel said. “We weren’t within 10 lengths of seeing this horse’s best race.”

The colt never finished out of the money and retired with earnings of $1,985,800. This year, he was the only 3-year-old colt to win three Grade I races.

The retirement was expected after Frankel said the colt was doubtful for the Breeders’ Cup Classic on Oct. 25 at Santa Anita, in what would have been his final race.

Empire Maker was declared out of last week’s Jockey Club Gold Cup at Belmont Park because of a recurrence of a front hoof injury that first flared before the Kentucky Derby.