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Top 2-Year-Old Persian Force Retires to Stud

Owner Kia Joorabchian of Amo Racing announced the colt's retirement Nov. 20.

Persian Force trains ahead of the Breeders' Cup at Keeneland

Persian Force trains ahead of the Breeders' Cup at Keeneland

Coady Photography

Persian Force has been retired from racing, with the 2-year-old heading to stud, his owner Kia Joorabchian said Nov. 20.

Trained by Richard Hannon for Joorabchian's Amo Racing, Persian Force secured his biggest success when landing the Close Brothers July Stakes (G2) at Newmarket during the summer.

A son of Mehmas, who was also retired to stud at 2, Persian Force won the opening 2-year-old race of the season, the SBK Brocklesby Conditions Stakes at Doncaster, and was subsequently placed in the Coventry Stakes (G2), the Keeneland Phoenix Stakes (G1), the Darley Prix Morny (G1), and the Juddmonte Middle Park Stakes (G1) and finished fourth in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint (G1T).

"We decided this week that we will retire him to stud," said Joorabchian. "Persian's done an incredible job. He's followed the footsteps of his father, and he's done everything Mehmas has done. 

"Arguably, according to Richard Hannon, who trained both, he's a better-looking version of his father, and he's got a better pedigree. He started in March and ran in everything."

Joorabchian pointed to the success Mehmas has enjoyed as a stallion since retiring at the end of his 2-year-old season in 2016, siring the likes of group 1 winners Minzaal and Supremacy and the rise in his stud fee to €60,000 (US$61,926) in 2023—from a low of €7,500 ($7,740) in 2020—as factors in the decision to retire Persian Force.

No details on where Persian Force would stand or what his covering fee would be were announced by Joorabchian on Racing TV.

Speaking on Sunday, the owner said: "He's never had a bad run, he's followed the footsteps of his father from start to finish, and his father retired at the end of his 2-year-old career and has had a fantastic career in stud as a stallion. 

"His father will stand at €60,000, so looking at that, he can definitely follow in the footsteps of his father, if not better, because your son is always better than you."

Persian Force had been a general 33-1 shot for next year's QIPCO Two Thousand Guineas (G1). He won three of his eight starts and collected £289,012 ($350,183) in prize money. He concludes his career with a record of 3-3-1, with his only off-the-board finish in the Breeders' Cup in November at Keeneland. The chestnut is out of the unraced Lope de Vega mare Vida Amorosa and a full brother to the grade 2- placed Gubbass, also trained by Hannon for J. Bin Ali Al Attiyah of Al Wasmiyah Stud.