Dermot Weld ranked Tarnawa among the finest horses he has trained in his nearly 50-year career when revealing Nov. 11 that the Aga Khan’s exceptional mare had been retired.
Among the highest-rated performers in Europe over the last two seasons, a decision to call time on Tarnawa’s stellar career was taken after she failed to fire as the favorite in the Nov. 6 Longines Breeders’ Cup Turf (G1T) at Del Mar.
Chatting with the Racing Put up, Weld mentioned: “(Tarnawa) goes into honorable retirement after being essentially the most good racemare for me to coach. She’s put in some magnificent performances on the highest stage —she’s been great.
Glad retirement to the good #Tarnawa, winner of three Gr.1 races:
🏆 Prix Vermeille 🇫🇷
🏆 Prix de l’Opera 🇫🇷
🏆 Breeders’ Cup Turf 🇺🇸We sit up for her new profession as a broodmare.
📸: as a foal, as a yearling, in coaching in Eire 🇮🇪 & successful her first Gr.1. pic.twitter.com/YisbEVGfPR
— Aga Khan Studs (@AgaKhanStuds) November 11, 2021
“We noticed her race for 4 seasons and she or he obtained higher with each run. She’s proper up there with the perfect I’ve ever skilled as a result of she had some terrific qualities of dedication, expertise and sophistication.”
A powerful winner of the Qatar Prix Vermeille (G1) and Prix de l’Opera Longines (G1) earlier than beating the boys in a high-quality version of the Breeders’ Cup Turf at Keeneland final season, Tarnawa was sportingly stored in coaching for 2021 with the goal of touchdown the Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe (G1).
Regardless of a daring bid in extraordinarily testing circumstances, the daughter of Shamardal got here up brief with a runner-up end at ParisLongchamp, ending three-quarters of a size behind shock German winner Torquator Tasso .
It was a second near-miss of the campaign for the 122-rated mare, having been edged out by the same margin in a controversial Irish Champion Stakes (G1) when St Mark’s Basilica leaned across the track in her path.
“I very much appreciated His Highness keeping her in training as a 5-year-old because it’s not his policy,” said Weld.
“She rewarded that decision with two fabulous efforts when just touched off by the Cartier Horse of the Year in St Mark’s Basilica at Leopardstown, and then in the Arc.
“I would say that with average luck, a little better ground and a nicer draw, she could have won in Paris. I feel the draw may have cost her the Arc.
“She had marvelous determination and what an addition she will be her His Highness’ broodmare band. It was one of my biggest ambitions to win a major race at the Breeders’ Cup and she fulfilled that at Keeneland last year.”
A grueling Longchamp test last month has been cited as a factor in Tarnawa’s disappointing Breeders’ Cup effort last weekend, when she finished 11th of 14 behind Yibir .
“I would feel that the edge had maybe just come off her somewhat,” Weld added. “She was in great form coming into the race but had an exceptionally tough race in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe on extremely testing ground. She gave her all in trying to win the Arc.
“Combining that with the long travel to California just took the edge off her. She looked magnificent and everything was right with her, but the mental sharpness just wasn’t quite there.”
Tarnawa, a daughter of the group placed Cape Cross mare Tarana (IRE), retires with nine wins from 18 trips to the post and $4,508,464 in earnings.
