Three-time Group 1 winner Tarnawa (Ire) (Shamardal–Tarana {Ire}, by Cape Cross {Ire}) has been retired and will become a broodmare for her owner/breeder, His Highness The Aga Khan.
“Happy retirement to the brilliant Tarnawa, winner of three Group 1 races: Prix Vermeille, Prix de l'Opera, Breeders' Cup Turf,” The Aga Khan Studs tweeted on Thursday. “We look forward to her new career as a broodmare.”
Trained by Dermot Weld, the daughter of the dual stakes winner and G3 Curragh Cup third Tarana was stakes-placed at two and won a trio of black-type races as a sophomore. A winner of the G3 Blue Wind S., the chestnut, added the G3 Give Thanks S. after a fruitless run in the G1 Oaks. Her final victory in 2019 was in The Curragh's G2 Moyglare Jewels Blandford S. that fall. Given time to develop, Tarnawa made her 4-year-old bow a winning one in another edition of the Give Thanks S. in August, then took both the G1 Prix Vermeille and G1 Prix de l'Opera in the autumn prior to a scintillating victory in Keeneland's GI Breeders' Cup Turf in November.
Returned to training at five with an eye to the G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, Tarnawa captured the G3 Ballyroan S. by 6 ½ lengths on Aug. 5 and was a brave second to Cartier Horse of the Year St Mark's Basilica (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}) in the G1 Irish Champion S. at Leopardstown on Sept. 11. Also second in the Arc at ParisLongchamp on Oct. 3, she ended her career with an unplaced effort in another edition of the Breeders' Cup Turf at Del Mar on Nov. 6. The first foal of her dam, her record stands at 18-9-4-2 and $4,508,464 in earnings.
Pat Downes, Manager of The Aga Khan's studs in Ireland, said, “She got back on Wednesday and we'd had a chat since the race on Saturday, we decided it was time to retire her now and welcome her to the broodmare brand.
“She's been an absolute star over four seasons. She has been so consistent and seldom let us down when she raced. This year, I suppose, was a bit frustrating–but in defeat she has run some tremendous races and the Arc maybe took a bit more out of her than we might have realised.
“I suppose last year's Breeders' Cup would be a highlight, but going to France and winning the two Group 1s was a highlight as well. She didn't win her first Group 1 until last year but, as a 3-year-old, she won Group 3s and a Group 2 and was such a consistent filly. It was a great pleasure mapping out a campaign for her. She was one of those fillies that rarely ever let us down, and they are rare.”
Added Downes of a possible stallion for Tarnawa's first covering, “It's exciting. We look forward to judging who she might visit. Those discussions will take place in the coming weeks and we will see where we end up.”
Not a subscriber? Click here to sign up for the daily PDF or alerts.
