Trainer Ron Burke has told Trot Insider that speedy five-year-old pacer Hes Gorgeous has been retired to stud.
The five-year-old son of Art Major, who was recently purchased by Ron Burke Racing, finished a distanced sixth in his last start on June 24 at Tioga Downs.
Out of the No Nukes mare So Ravishing, Hes Gorgeous lowered Vernon Downs' all-age track record with a 1:48.3 career-best victory in an Open Pace on May 19 while racing under the care of Tracy Brainard.
When asked about Hes Gorgeous' poor performance at Tioga, Burke told Trot Insider that it had to do with a nagging suspensory that has been on the radar for some time now.
"We knew that he had a pre-existing issue with the suspensory when we bought him," Burke told Trot Insider. "The previous owners were right up front about it when we purchased him, so there are absolutely no hard feelings there in regard to what has transpired with the horse. We tried to see if we would be able to manage the injury, but, as it played out, it proved to be an issue the first time we raced him.
"We had bought him with the plan of standing him at the Schwartz Boarding Farm in Indiana. In terms of his stud career, it's actually kind of exciting in this case because he will be the first son of Art Major to stand in Indiana."
Burke explained that his stable could get Hes Gorgeous back to the races if they wanted to, but acknowledged that it would be a long process.
"We bought him with the intention of having him stand in Indiana, so it really has worked out. He's a nice horse and is a great competitor, but at this point we have just decided to retire him from racing, stand him at stud and turn the page."
The two-time New York Sires Stakes Championship winner, who began his career in the Linda Toscano barn, put together a record reading 24-5-3 in 57 starts while banking $743,844.