‘He Built A Record Of Which To Be Proud’ – Dual Group 1 Winner Arapaho Retired

[Wandering Eyes]

Trainer Bjorn Baker has announced the retirement of stable star Arapaho (Lope De Vega), a stalwart of the Australian racing scene whose top-level victories included the 2023 Tancred Stakes and 2025 Sydney Cup.

Bred by the Fabre family's Ecurie Peregrine out of the Dansili mare Alzubra, Arapaho retires having won 10 races and over $2.8 million in prize-money from a career spanning 50 starts. Three of those victories came when trained in France by Andre Fabre, notably winning the Listed Prix du Pont Neuf, before a sixth-place finish in the Poule d'Essai des Poulains won by Victor Ludorum.

At the end of that three-year-old campaign, Arapaho went under the hammer at the Arqana Deauville Autumn Mixed Sale where he was bought by Baker, along with Avenue Bloodstock and Clarke Bloodstock, for €140,000. He debuted in Australia in April 2021 and has been a mainstay ever since, with his other triumphs including the G2 Zipping Classic in 2024 and G3 Premiers Cup in 2022.

“Today we announce the retirement of our dual Group 1 winner, Arapaho,” read a statement issued by Bjorn Baker Racing on social media.

“A winner of both the Tancred Stakes and the Sydney Cup (in a track record time), Arapaho has been an outstanding ambassador for our stable over a long period. Tough, genuine and consistently performing at the highest level, he built a record of which to be proud.”

The statement added, “The decision to retire him has been made with his best interests firmly in mind. He is feeling a little wear and tear on his joints and, as a nine-year-old, it's the right call to step him away from racing rather than take any risk.

“Arapaho will now enjoy a well-earned retirement with Rachel King and Luke Hilton, where we know he will be loved and cared for in the next chapter of his life.”

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