from Southwind Farms

Pennington, NJ — World champion Sportswriter p,2,1:49.2s; 3,1:48.3s ($1,566,460) has been officially retired due to a training injury.

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Sportswriter earned more than $1.5 million in his career and had a mark of 1:48.3s.

The 3-year-old son of Artsplace–Precious Beauty last raced in the Meadowlands Pace on July 17 and was preparing for a start in the upcoming Confederation Cup at Flamboro Downs when the injury occurred.

Trained throughout his career by Casie Coleman and driven by Mark MacDonald, Sportswriter returned from his championhip 2-year-old campaign to capture the $1,455,000 Pepsi North America Cup at Mohawk with a front end effort in 1:48.3. He set a world record last year, winning the $920,000 Metro Pace in 1:49.2, and was named the Dan Patch and O’Brien Award champion 2-year-old pacing colt after winning seven of eight starts.

A $50,000 yearling purchase, Sportwriter was campaigned by Steve Calhoun and West Wins Stable (Casie Coleman/Ross Warriner/Zoltan Kovacs) as a 2-year-old. Southwind Farms purchased an interest in the colt at the end of last season.

Current plans call for the colt to start his stallion career in Australia later this year and return to North America for the 2011 breeding season.

“We are all greatly disappointed that Sportswriter’s racing career has come to an end, but we are looking forward to his new career as a stallion. He has shown the speed and courage of a champion and we are confident that he will pass these qualities on to his offspring,” said Mike Klau, Syndicate Manager of Southwind Farms.