Untapable Retirement: It Was Time

With a simple tweet from her owner, the Eclipse Award winning racing career of Untapable came to an end on Sunday.

It was time, although Untapable didn’t make it easy on her connections. She ran enough good races where it wasn’t always clear if the old version of the champion might not be a race away from bouncing back to present day, but after Saturday’s disappointing finish in the Grade 2 Fluer de Lis, it was clear to all that it was time to let the 2014 Champion move on to the next stage of her career. The fourth place finish on Saturday evening was her seventh straight defeat since winning the Grade 1 Apple Blossom last April. Moreover, this was her worst performance of the bunch. Sent off at 3-5, these are fillies and mare she would have smoked a few years ago. Whether you counted yourself a big Untapable fan or not, we all knew that it was time. No one wants to see Untapable, as a shell of her former self, toiling against lesser horses.

Looking back, there can be no doubt that it was an excellent career for the five-year-old daughter of Tapit. Despite retiring on a seven-race losing streak, the numbers still bear that out. She won $3,926,625 in her four-season career, with an overall record of 20-9-5-2. On the news of her retirement, it is the younger version of Untapable the runner that I prefer to remember, because she was something special.

After a promising juvenile season, Untapable proved to be unstoppable as a three-year-old. She won often, and she won easy. Trained by Steve Asmussen, I would be remiss not to mention her usual partner back in the glory days. Rosie Napravnik and Untapable were a match made in heaven. Together, two years ago, they began a championship season off in style in the Big Easy. The top rider, who retired after the World Championships of 2014, piloted the fleet filly to dominating victories in the Grade 3 Rachel Alexandra and the Grade 2 Fair Grounds Oaks, before heading to Kentucky for one of the most important races of her career.

Off her Fair Grounds’ form, Untapable was made a clear choice in the Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks at even money. She would not disappoint. On the same track that would host her final career race, the younger version of Untapable was on top of the world. A 4 ½-length romp in the Oaks led many to wonder what she could do against the Derby winner the following afternoon, California Chrome. The Winchell Thoroughbreds’ star never got the chance against him, but it was not long before she would try the boys.

Even some trouble in the Grade 1 Mother Goose could not slow down Untapable of two years ago. Checked early under substitute rider, John Velazquez, (Rosie was injured at the time), Untapable turned in one of the most impressive runs of her career by winning the prestigious race by more than nine lengths, and in fast time. You could not blame her connections for shooting big in her next race, but the Grade 1 Haskell Invitational, against the boys, including a future Breeders’ Cup Classic winner in Bayern, did not go well for the fantastic filly. Bumped and wide early, she could not keep up with Bayern at Monmouth Park, and faded to fifth. It was the only loss of an otherwise perfect season.

She signaled that she was back to top form by handling the Grade 1 winner, Sweet Reason, in the million-dollar Cotillion. It was her third Grade 1 victory in four starts, and it set her up well for a trip to California for a race worth twice as much. The Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Distaff was a big test. It was on the West Coast, and it was against older mares. Would she be up to the challenge? Most assuredly, the answer was yes. It was a great moment for Untapable, and it was a great moment for her retiring rider.

At three, she won six-of-seven races, with her only defeat coming against males. Her six wins were all graded stakes, with the last four coming in Grade 1. She proved that she could beat older mares on the big stage, when she cruised to victory in the Breeders’ Cup. It was a fantastic season that made Untapable an obvious choice as the Champion Three-Year-Old Filly of 2014.

Remember her not for her failures later in her career, instead think of the Untapable that dominated her peers of 2014 in fantastic form. Her retirement is well earned. I wish her well as a soon to be broodmare, where she will have every opportunity to distinguish herself once again.