Multiple graded-stakes winner Max Player is retired at age 6

Max Player, winner of three graded stakes and a top-five finisher in each of the 2020 Triple Crown races, has been retired to stud at age 6.

The son of Honor Code is owned by George Hall and Annestes Racing.

Hall told BloodHorse that no firm plans have been determined. The owners have received interest from parties in several states, he said, “or we may keep him at my farm in Versailles where he was born and build interest in Kentucky."

Bought as a yearling at Keeneland for $150,000, Max Player compiled a record of 16: 4-1-2 and earnings of $1,551,266.

His graded-stakes wins came in the Grade 1 Jockey Club Gold Cup and Suburban (G2) in 2021 and the Withers (G3) in 2020.

After his win in the Withers, he was third in the 2020 Belmont Stakes and the Travers (G1) for trainer Linda Rice. Moved to Steve Asmussen ahead of the Kentucky Derby, where he finished fifth and then fifth again in the Preakness Stakes.

His only start this year was in an optional-claiming allowance at Oaklawn, where he did not finish and was vanned off the track. He had one work since, going four furlongs in 49.20 seconds at the Churchill Downs training center.