Champion filly retired

By: SPORTS NETWORK

Arcadia, CA (Sports Network) - Eclipse Award winner Sweet Catomine has

been retired by owners Martin and Pam Wygod.

According to the Blood-Horse web site, the owners would not disclose the

reason for the decision.

Last year's champion two-year-old filly will be bred to former champion A.P. Indy.

Sweet Catomine had a disappointing fifth-place finish in the Santa Anita Derby,

in which she was the favorite, and concluded her racing career with $1,059,600

 while winning five of her seven lifetime starts. She concluded her 2004 season

with a win in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Filly race.

Controversy continues to surround her running of the Santa Anita Derby. The

California Horse Racing Board is investigating the circumstances under which

Sweet Catomine was secretly sent to a clinic prior to what proved to be her final race.

After the Santa Anita Derby, Wygod said that he came close to scratching his

filly from the race. Sweet Catomine apparently bled during her final workout

before the Kentucky Derby prep.

Following the race, Wygod transferred Sweet Catomine from trainer Julio Canani

 to John Shirreffs. A veterinarian examined the filly and Wygod decided to retire

 her based on that evaluation.