Grade 1-winning millionaire SWIFT TEMPER (Giant’s Causeway), who was
scratched from Thursday’s Falls City H. (G2) at Churchill Downs because of a
splint injury, has been retired.
Trainer Dale Romans said that the five-year-old chestnut suffered a fractured
splint bone in the build-up to the 1 1/8-mile Falls City, which had been
scheduled as the final race of Swift Temper’s career.
“She fractured a splint bone, but she’s completely sound and it’s not a big
issue,” Romans said. “She was going to be retired after this race anyway, so she
can go ahead and start her career as a broodmare.”
Swift Temper steadily improved throughout a racing career that started in the
late summer of 2006. She joined Romans’ barn during her three-year-old season,
landed the Gardenia H. (G3) in 2008, and put together her finest year of all in
2009.
This season, Swift Temper captured the Ruffian H. (G1), Delaware H. (G2) and
Sixty Sails H. (G3) and placed in Personal Ensign S. (G1), Fleur de Lis H. (G2),
Louisville S. (G2) and Sabin S. (G3).
“I didn’t pick her up until she was three, and she always seemed like she
could improve,” Romans said, “but nobody could have predicted she could go to
that level.
“She’s a special filly and has been special for our barn. We hate to see her
go, but I think she’s going to have a great career as a broodmare.”
Owned by Mark Stanley, Swift Temper retires with a record of 31-6-4-3 and
earnings of $1,296,687. She had just RNA’d for $2.05 million at the Keeneland
November Sale.