Classic-placed grade 1 winner and millionaire Max Player has been retired and will be aimed toward a stud career, according to a report on Twitter that was confirmed by majority owner George Hall.
"Nothing firm to report today though we have some interest in him in a number of states," Hall said. "Or, we may keep him at my farm in Versailles where he was born and build interest in Kentucky."
He said Max Player, a 6-year-old son of Honor Code out of the Not For Love stakes winner Fools in Love, should be an attractive stallion prospect because he started in all three COVID-19-scrambled Triple Crown races of 2020, which included a third in the Belmont Stakes (G1). He would also fit in a third-place finish in the Travers Stakes (G1) between that year's Belmont and Kentucky Derby (G1).
Max Player won his first graded stakes at 3 in the Withers Stakes (G3) and at 4 won the Jockey Club Gold Cup Stakes (G1) and Suburban Stakes (G2). Initially trained by Linda Rice and later Steve Asmussen, he retires with a 4-1-2 record from 16 starts and $1,551,266 in earnings.
"He's been very sound throughout his whole career," said Hall.
Max Player has not only been a successful homebred for Hall, the horse also helped launched a new fractional ownership venture initially called SportBLX Thoroughbreds. The venture allowed fans to buy shares in a package of horses that included Max Player and was launched prior to the Belmont Stakes. Hall, a hedge fund executive, co-founded SportBLX with Joseph De Perio.
"This is the first time the Average Joe has access to owning a piece of a horse running in a classic race," Hall said prior to the 2020 Belmont. "Wherever the horse goes from the Belmont, people will be interested in those races, too, even though they are not as interesting as the Triple Crown races. The idea ultimately is to get more people interested in horse racing and horse ownership. The more people are willing to make investments in the sport, the better for the sport itself."
Shareholders in the venture, now called Annestes Thoroughbreds after Hall's farm near Versailles, Ky., have the option to stay in during Max Player's stud career or liquidate their shares prior to his first season, according to Hall.
Hall bought Fools in Love as a yearling for $80,000 at the 2007 Fasig-Tipton Midlantic Eastern Fall Yearling Sale. He raced the filly with his wife, Lori, and trainer Kelly Breen. They won the Orleans Stakes at Delta Downs and placed in four other stakes that included a second in the Maryland Million Lassie Stakes and a third in the Maryland Million Distaff Handicap.
As a broodmare, Fools in Love produced five foals for the Halls' K & G Stables that were all winners and included Max Player, grade 2 winner Seahenge, grade 3-placed Urban Bourbon, and stakes-placed winner Frank's Folly. The Halls sold Fools in Love for $1 million to Cheveley Park Stud at the 2017 Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale.
Fools in Love is a half sister to Louisiana Derby (G2) winner International Star (Fusaichi Pegasus) and a full sister to stakes winner D C Dancer. The immediate family also produced group 2 winner and sire Van Nistelrooy, Blue Grass Stakes (G2) winner Halory Hunter, and Delaware Oaks (G3) winner Brushed Halory.
