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| Staff Writer |
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Just days after Spendthrift Farm revealed that Taiba, a multiple Group one winner, would be joining their stallion roster for 2024, Zedan Racing Stables decided to retire their multimillionaire racehorse. The 4YO son of Gun Runner has now settled at the Lexington farm, where he will stand for a fee of US$35,000, offering a stands and nurses guarantee.
"There are very few stallion prospects that tick all the boxes, to use the old cliché. Taiba is certainly one of those horses that possesses everything commercial breeders are looking for today, and we believe he will be wildly popular," said Spendthrift general manager Ned Toffey. "We are grateful to Mr. Zedan for the opportunity to stand such an exciting horse.
"Taiba will be afforded every resource necessary to have a successful stallion career, and we think he has a big chance to hopefully replicate some of the good fortune we've had in recent years in terms of developing young sires. We invite all breeders to make an appointment with one of our sales guys to come out and see him. He's really a stunning individual," added Toffey.
Taiba, a 3YO male horse trained by Bob Baffert, was a top contender in North America in 2022. He finished in second place to Epicenter in the Eclipse Awards voting for champion 3YO male honors. Taiba was purchased for US$1.7 million at the Fasig-Tipton Gulfstream Sale as a 2YO. He broke his maiden on his debut at 3 years old, winning by 7 1/2 lengths at Santa Anita Park. His time was 1:09.97 for six furlongs, and he earned a 103 Equibase Speed Figure.
Taiba won the Santa Anita Derby in just his second start, five weeks after his debut. He won by 2 1/4 lengths in 1:48.46 for 1 1/8 miles, earning another 103 ESF and qualifying for the Kentucky Derby. He didn't place in the Derby but came back strong in the Haskell Stakes, finishing just a head behind Cyberknife, who set a track record of 1:46.24. Taiba defeated Zandon and Cyberknife by three lengths in the Pennsylvania Derby. In the Breeders' Cup Classic at Keeneland, Taiba finished third behind Flightline and Olympiad, earning a career-best 118 ESF at the 1 1/4-mile distance.
Taiba ended the year on a high note by winning the Malibu Stakes at Santa Anita by 4 1/4 lengths in 1:21.75, earning a 106 ESF and his sixth triple-digit ESF for his career.
"Taiba is a special horse to us," said Amr Zedan of Zedan Racing Stables. "He is the first horse to jump from a six-furlong maiden to immediately winning the grade 1 Santa Anita Derby. I knew he was special and that is why I insisted he make that jump. He rose to the calling like the true champion he is and made us proud."
Taiba, a son of Gun Runner, is the only three-time group one -winning offspring of the nine-time stakes-winning mare Needmore Flattery. During his career, he accumulated earnings totaling US$2,356,200.