Retirement Fund (Eskendereya) flew under the radar at odds of 12-1 in this debut and proved he should not be overlooked in the future with an impressive 7 1/4-length graduation. Breaking sharply from his rail draw, the $100,000 FTSAUG grad ticked off opening splits of :24.78 and :49.13 with 8-5 favorite Enjoy the Journey (Uncle Mo) hot on his heels. The chalk turned up the pressure entering the far turn, but Retirement Fund quickly shut the door on that rival and stormed clear to win as he pleased.
The winner is a half-brother to Barbados (Speightstown), GSW, $377,241, a $230,000 KEEAPR purchase by WinStar in 2014, who sold for $340,000 when returned to that auction house the following November as part of WinStar's horses of racing age consignment. He went on to win the Spectacular Bid S. and GIII Hutcheson S. the following year and placed in three other graded events, including a runner-up effort behind subsequent GI Breeders' Cup Sprint winner and champion Runhappy (Super Saver) in the 2015 GIII Stoll Keenon Ogden Phoenix S. His stakes-winning dam Northern Station produced a Tiznow filly in 2016 and an Uncle Mo filly May 5 of this year. Retirement Fund also hails from the family of GISWs Raven's Pass and No Matter What; and MGSW & MGISP sire E Dubai.
Click here for a recent feature on winning trainer Steve Asmussen and his parents El Primero Training Center, where Retirement Fund was broken and trained. Click here for a feature on winning owner L and N Racing, who also campaign GI Kentucky Derby runner-up Lookin at Lee (Lookin at Lucky).
7th-FG, $41,000, Msw, 12-22, 2yo, 1m 70y, 1:44.14, ft.
RETIREMENT FUND, c, 2, by Eskendereya
1st Dam: Northern Station, by Street Cry (Ire)
2nd Dam: Quiet Word, by Quiet American
3rd Dam: Word O' Ransom, by Red Ransom
Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $24,600. O-L and N Racing LLC; B-Tommy Town Thoroughbreds, LLC (KY); T-Steven M. Asmussen. Click for the Equibase.com chart or free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
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