Owner Bob Peters has all but confirmed the career of star mare Arcadia Queen is over, after she suffered a tendon injury in preparation for her Group 1 assault on the upcoming Championships in Sydney.
Speaking on TABradio this morning, Bob Peters said he’d made the decision the five-year-old would never race again.
“I’ve made the decision on her career, I don’t think she’ll be ever racing again,” he said.
“As far as what we do going forward, whether I keep her and breed with her myself or whether I sell her I’m not sure what I’ll do.
“If she was a year or two younger, I would probably think about rehabilitating her.”
Arcadia Queen’s injury comes amidst a wretched run of luck for the owner-breeder, who has recently lost Truly Great and Mystery Miss.
Peters will be hoping for a change in fortune this Saturday as he strives to win his 11th Derby in Western Australia.
He has owned nine WATC Derby (2400m) winners and an Australian Derby when it was run at Ascot.
Western Empire is a -333.33 favourite with TABtouch for the Group 2 event, following dominant wins in the Lex Piper Stakes (1600m), J.C. Roberts Stakes (1800m) and Melvista Stakes (2200m).
Peters said he was pleased with how the three-year-old had progressed this campaign.
“He’s got used to everything now,” he said.
“He threw away a couple of races early which he probably could’ve won if he’d had decent racing manners.
“He’s come along the right path for the Derby so there’s no reason why he can’t continue.”
Peters will also be represented by Reliable Star in the $400,000 event but conceded she would have her work cut out to beat the stablemate.
“I don’t think she could beat him at this stage,” he said.
“She may be able to run a place and that would be good if she could.”