Multiple stakes winner Last Samurai is retired at age 6

Millionaire and multiple stakes winner Last Samurai has been retired to begin a stallion career in Arkansas in 2025, said Eddie Milligan Jr., who trained the 6-year-old son of Malibu Moon at the end of his racing career.

Randy Patterson said he will stand Last Samurai at Lake Hamilton Equine, just west of Hot Springs. Patterson owns Cedar Run Farm, a nearby foaling facility. Patterson said Last Samurai’s fee will be $2,000 and that the family of Willis Horton will retain ownership in the horse.

Last Samurai, a $175,000 purchase by the late Willis Horton, compiled a 32: 6-5-4 record and earned $2,257,109.

All four of Last Samurai’s stakes victories came at Oaklawn. Last Samurai, then with trainer Dallas Stewart, won the Poinsettia in 2021 and the Oaklawn Handicap (G2) the following year. Last Samurai won the Razorback Handicap (G3) and Essex Handicap (G3) in 2023 for Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas.

Last Samurai was winless in four starts this year, including sixth-place finishes in the Oaklawn Mile (G3) and Oaklawn Handicap (G2) last spring in Hot Springs. His final start was a 10th-place finish in the Kentucky Downs Preview Turf Cup Stakes at Ellis Park on Aug. 4.