10-year-old Rated R Superstar is retired to Old Friends
Durable 10-year-old gelding Rated R Superstar, an eight-time stakes winner with three Grade 3 victories to his name, was retired this week to Old Friends Equine in Kentucky, according to a Twitter post Friday from the wife of owner Danny Caldwell.
“Today is a bittersweet one as (Danny) and I announce Rated R Superstar’s retirement to Old Friends,” Allison Caldwell wrote. “Owning Rated R has been one of the greatest gifts in our racing career. He’s a member of the family, and we’ve always done things his way, in his best interest.”
The retirement was reported first by Daily Racing Form.
The Caldwells said tighter medication restrictions this year convinced them to end a racing career that resulted in a record of 70: 13-10-9 and purse earnings of $1,847,397.
“As rule(s) changes for Lasix this year, we feel an absence of therapeutic medication is not in the best interest for optimal health and performance,” the Tweet said. “We’re not in the habit of changing the things that are working for rules that do not benefit the health of our horses as individual(s).”
New rules from the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority have taken Lasix out of stakes races. In 19 of his 22 starts dating to 2021, Rated R Superstar ran in stakes company.
Winless in five starts this year, the son of Kodiak Kowboy was claimed by Caldwell for $50,000 in early 2021. Before that he won the 2016 Carry Back (G3) at Gulfstream Park and the 2018 Ben Ali (G3) at Keeneland for his first trainer Kenny McPeek. Since Caldwell bought him, Rated R Superstar most notably won the 2022 Essex Handicap (G3) at Oaklawn. His last victory came in December in the Jeffrey A. Hawk Memorial at Remington Park.
Trained recently by Martín Villafranco, Rated R Superstar finished fifth last out in an allowance optional-claiming race May 6 at Remington. He was in for a $50,000 tag, but he went unclaimed.
“Rated R is retiring sound, happy and healthy,” Allison Caldwell wrote. “We are very excited about this next chapter, and we ask that if you’re in the area of Old Friends, please schedule a time to visit or make a donation on his behalf. He’s a very social guy, and he loves seeing his friends.”