Dubawi's Grade 1 winner son Mubtaahij retired and set for stud in Argentina

Grade 1 winner Mubtaahij has been retired from racing and will likely head to South America for stud duty, according to bloodstock agent Donato Lanni.

The 2017 Awesome Again Stakes winner, who was trained by Mike de Kock, Jimmy Jerkens, and Bob Baffert during his career, is currently stabled at Hill 'n' Dale in Kentucky and doesn't have a stallion deal finalised yet, but will most likely stand his first season in Argentina, Lanni said, because "interest in America was bleak".

"He's going to stand in Argentina, but we don't know where yet," Lanni said of the seven-year-old son of Dubawi. "We'd love to stand him here, but we'll start there and see what happens.

"I believe in the horse, but unfortunately I don't have 100 mares to breed to him. He's bred for turf, but he's made like a classic dirt horse."

Along with his Awesome Again score for Baffert, Mubtaahij placed in ten other Graded/Group events and earned more than $5.7 million for owner Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa al Maktoum.

In 2018, his final racing season, Mubtaahij placed in all four of his races - thirds in the Dubai World Cup and San Pasqual Stakes and seconds in the Santa Anita Handicap and Lone Star Park Handicap.

He raced in the Dubai World Cup three times. Along with his effort in 2018, he finished second in 2016 and fourth in 2017.

Mubtaahij began his racing career with de Kock in Dubai, where he won the 2015 UAE Derby to punch his ticket to the Kentucky Derby, where he finished eighth.

He also competed in the Belmont Stakes presented that year, where he challenged Triple Crown winner American Pharoah in the final turn at Belmont Park, but faded to finish fourth.

Bred in Ireland by Dunmore Stud out of the Pennekamp mare Pennegale, Mubtaahij sold to Form Bloodstock for €450,000 when he was consigned by Haras d'Hotellerie to the 2013 Arqana Deauville August Yearling Sale.

He retired with a lifetime record of 5-6-4 from 24 starts and earnings of $5,780,332. After his Kentucky Derby effort, he finished out of the top five only once, in the Breeders' Cup Classic in 2017, out of his 16 final starts.

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