Joyful Victory retired

By: SPORTS NETWORK

Louisville, KY (Sports Network) - Multiple stakes winning mare Joyful Victory has been retired after finishing third Saturday in the Zenyatta Stakes at Santa Anita.

Owner Rick Porter posted the announcement on his Fox Hill Farms' website.

"I have decided that Joyful Victory has done all and more than (trainer) Larry Jones and I have asked of her during the last four years. I have been very proud to race Joyful Victory in the red and white silks of Fox Hill Farm but it is time for her to begin her career in the breeding shed. She will fit right in with any of the top broodmare bands worldwide. She is by the top sire, Tapit and is his leading earner in 2013 and 5th leading lifetime earner. She ticks all the boxes to be a successful broodmare. I went to Santa Anita yesterday (Saturday) hoping to see her win her last career start but it was not to be. At least I was able to witness her final race.

"Joyful Victory won or hit the board in 12 of her 16 starts in graded stakes. She raced at 10 different tracks. She retires with a record of 20-7-5-4 and was a millionaire with earnings of $1,252,679. She has been entered in the Fasig-Tipton November Select Sale and will be consigned by Taylor Made Sales Agency. I sure will miss watching this gorgeous gray mare race at the top of the sport."

In 2010, she won her debut race at Delaware Park followed by a third in the Frizette Stakes at Belmont Park and was fifth in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies at Churchill Downs.

Joyful Victory posted wins as a 3-year-old in 2011 in the Honeybee and Fantasy Stakes at Oaklawn Park. She was fourth in the Kentucky Oaks to Plum Pretty and second to Buster's Ready in the Mother Goose at Belmont Park. She concluded her 3-year-old season with a fifth in the Coaching Club American Oaks at Saratoga behind It's Tricky.

Last year, her only stakes win was the Tiffany Lass at Fair Grounds, but was third in the Azeri with consecutive seconds in the Gardenia, Zenyatta and Chilukki Stakes. Joyful Victory finished 2012 with a third in the Falls City Handicap at Churchill Downs.

This year she won the Houston Ladies Classic and Santa Margarita Stakes. The mare was fifth in the Ogden Phipps Stakes at Saratoga and won the Molly Pitcher Stakes at Monmouth Park.