Graded stakes-winning millionaire Giant Expectations retired

Multiple Graded Stakes winner and millionaire Giant Expectations has been retired from racing with career earnings of $1,343,600. He will begin his next career at stud this upcoming breeding season with the location still to be determined pending sale of the horse either privately or at auction.

In a career that spanned five seasons and 25 starts, Giant Expectations consistently raced at the highest level from coast-to-coast. His ability to show tactical speed both sprinting and routing set him apart with wins in both the Pat O’Brien Stakes (G2) at seven furlongs and against a historically tough field in the San Antonio Stakes (G2) at 1 1/16th miles, winning gate to wire and defeating Eclipse Award 2018 Champion Accelerate as well as Grade 1 winners Collected and Hopportunity.

“Giant Expectations was one of the best horses I had the pleasure to ride over my career,” said Hall of Fame jockey Gary Stevens, who was in the irons for some of Giant’s biggest races including both the Pat O’Brien and San Antonio wins. “He was a great looking horse, with the stride and the movement to go with it, long and fluid…a beautiful stride and a powerful stretch run.”

“He’s always had tremendous speed, stamina, and resilience,” said Peter Eurton, who has trained Giant Expectations since he was purchased as a 2 year-old. “He’s a perfectly built horse. Very sound and a gorgeous individual.”

Giant Expectations’ racing career concludes with 14 top-5 finishes in 16 consecutive stakes races, with 13 of those at the Grade 1 or Grade 2 level.

Giant Expectations was trained by Eurton for Exline – Border Racing, David Bernsen, Gatto Racing, and partners who stated, “The current ownership group and management unanimously elected to retire Giant Expectations in the best interests of the horse, and are excited to follow his next career as a stallion.”

From the same family as this year’s probable Breeders’ Cup Sprint favorite CZ Rocket, Giant Expectations is from the famed Storm Cat male line and has been relocated to Kentucky as a stallion prospect.

“This is the type of horse you miss the most when they leave,” said Eurton. “Anybody who breeds to him is going to be very happy.”