Risen Star, the Winner of Preakness and Belmont, Is Being Retired to Stud
NEW YORK — Risen Star, winner of this year’s Preakness and Belmont Stakes, is being retired to stud, co-owner and trainer Louis Roussel III said Saturday.
“I made a decision for the best of Risen Star and have always considered it best that we retire him,†Roussel said.
The son of Secretariat, whose 14 3/4-length victory in the Belmont stamped him as one of the nation’s dominant horses, ran the race with an injured right foreleg, suffered in a pre-race workout. Subsequent tests showed an injury to the suspensory ligament.
Roussel said the leg was “healing slowly†and added: “It will be 6 to 8 weeks before it’s completely healed. I don’t think it’ll ever be quite the way it was.â€
Roussel and co-owner Ronnie Lamarque have entered a $7-million syndication deal with Walmac International, a breeding farm in Lexington, Ky. Roussel said the colt will be shipped from Belmont Park to Walmac.
