by T.J. Burkett, Executive Editor, Hoof Beats

Columbus, OH — Buck I St Pat, three-time defending Trotting Mare of the Year, has been retired, according to co-owner Howard Taylor.

USTA/Ed Keys photo

Buck I St Pat retired with 51 lifetime wins and earnings of $2,320,637.

An 8-year-old daughter of Jailhouse Jesse-Name It Something, Buck I St Pat had earned $2,320,637 lifetime, including wins in the Breeders Crown Mare Trot (twice), Armbro Flight, Maxie Lee (twice), Conway Hall, American-National, Miss Versatility final, Earl Rowe, Perretti Farms Matchmaker (twice), Classic Series final and Allerage Farms Mare Trot (twice).

She had a line of 51-17-11 in 105 lifetime starts, with a lifetime mark of 1:51 set last year in the Matchmaker final. She also traveled to Sweden in 2009 to start in the Elitlopp, but failed to make the final.

Buck I St Pat’s final pari-mutuel start was on Oct. 2 in the Allerage Farms Mare Trot at The Red Mile. She made a break at the three-quarters and finished eighth. She made another break in a qualifier at Harrah’s Chester on Oct. 13. Her entry to defend her two-time Breeders Crown title was denied by Ontario Racing Commission officials because of those breaks in her final two starts.

“We just want to do right by her,” said Taylor, who co-owns Buck I St Pat with Edwin Gold, Abraham Basen and breeder Ron Fuller. “Her last races were not up to her standards. We wanted to retire her as the champion that she is.”

Taylor added that Buck I St Pat’s future as a broodmare is undecided, pending a meeting of the partners. He did add, however, that she won two free breedings to Muscles Yankee as a double winner of the Perretti Matchmaker final.

“We are as excited about raising and racing her babies as we were about following her racing career,” he said.