Constitution River retired after tendon lesion found
French Derby and Eclipse winner Constitution River has been retired after a routine examination revealed a tendon lesion. He joins Coolmore's 2027 roster at €25,000.
Constitution River, winner of the Prix du Jockey Club and Coral-Eclipse, has been retired after a routine end-of-season veterinary examination revealed a lesion in his left-front tendon. The Aidan O'Brien-trained three-year-old will begin his stallion career at Coolmore in 2027 at a fee of €25,000.
The decision ends plans to keep the son of Wootton Bassett in training as a four-year-old. O'Brien said the examination had raised uncertainty over whether Constitution River would be ready for his principal targets next season, and connections had chosen not to risk aggravating the problem.
His retirement removes one of Ballydoyle's most accomplished middle-distance colts from next year's racing programme. Constitution River had developed into a leading Classic performer during the spring and early summer, winning the Listed Dee Stakes at Chester before taking the French Derby at Chantilly. He followed that success with an authoritative three-length victory in the Eclipse at Sandown.
Those performances established him among the strongest three-year-old colts of the season. His final three appearances were less successful: he finished third in the Juddmonte International at York and the Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown, before taking fifth behind Ombudsman in the Champion Stakes at Ascot.
O'Brien expressed particular disappointment at losing the colt, describing him as the horse the team had most looked forward to retaining for next year. Ryan Moore had also held him in high regard. The trainer stressed that retirement was preferable to pursuing another campaign without confidence in the horse's recovery.
Constitution River brings both racing performance and a substantial pedigree to Coolmore. By the late Wootton Bassett, he is from a family closely associated with high-class middle-distance racing, including the multiple Group 1 winner Wonderful Tonight and champion sire Camelot.
His introduction at €25,000 gives breeders another option from Wootton Bassett's male line at a time when the sire's sons are increasingly prominent on European stallion rosters. Coolmore's decision also reflects the commercial importance of his Classic and Eclipse victories, achieved against strong opposition over ten furlongs.
For the racing public, the immediate loss is the opportunity to see whether Constitution River could build on those performances at four. His best efforts demonstrated considerable ability, but the tendon finding has brought his career to a close after two seasons on the racecourse.
He will now join Coolmore's Fethard operation for the forthcoming covering season.
By TP Editorial
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