After breaking through for the first grade 1 win of his career this season at age 9, veteran turf runner Red Knight has been retired by his owner/breeder Tom Egan, who operates as Trinity Farm.
Egan reached out to BloodHorse Oct. 27 to announce Red Knight's retirement. He said the Pure Prize gelding will head to Old Friends Thoroughbred retirement farm near Georgetown, Ky.
Egan, who enjoyed buying and feeding sweet potatoes to his veteran runner, thinks New York-bred Red Knight will be a hit at Old Friends.
"He has a big personality," Egan said. "He likes people but he doesn't suffer fools, whether they're grooms or exercise riders."
In terms of his racing career, Egan marvels at Red Knight's consistency. After beginning his racing career in 2017 at age 3, Red Knight won at least one race in six of his seven seasons of racing. He won seven stakes races and placed in nine others and also lowered course record times for two miles at Gulfstream Park in 2018 (3:19.87) and for 1 1/2 miles at Colonial Downs in 2022 (2:29.67).
He retires with a 12-9-2 record from 38 starts with purse earnings of $1,886,338.
Many of Red Knight's biggest victories came in his final two seasons of racing, under the guidance of trainer Mike Maker. In 2022 Red Knight captured the $694,180 Kentucky Turf Cup Stakes (G2T) at Kentucky Downs and this year he won the Man o' War Stakes (G1T) at Belmont Park.
"The times he didn't run well, there was always a reason. One time he didn't travel well, one time we discovered he'd just become ill," Egan said. "And most of the time he did run well. He always was competitive and they say consistency is the hallmark of a top horse.
"I'd like to thank Mike Maker and his staff. They made a world of difference for Red Knight."
