By Bloodhorse.com
COALINGA, Calif. (Jan. 17, 2017) — Grade 3 winner Metaboss has been retired and will enter stud this year at Harris Farms near Coalinga, Calif., for a fee of $2,000 stands and nurses.
A versatile 5-year-old son of Street Boss , Metaboss won the El Camino Real Derby (G3) as a 3-year-old and was a fast-closing second in the 2016 Del Mar Handicap Presented by the Japan Racing Association (G2T) on grass.
Produced from the stakes-placed Free House mare Spinning Yarns, Metaboss was bred in Kentucky by Mr. and Mrs. John Toffan and purchased by Mersad Metanovic for $10,000 from the Mill Ridge offerings at the 2012 Keeneland November breeding stock sale.
Racing for a partnership that included Metanovic, Nevada-based Daniel Preiss, Chuck Azacarate, Milan Mcfetridge, and M&S Stables, among others, Metaboss won three of 12 starts and earned $300,420. Metaboss was retired after sustaining a small sesamoid fracture during a workout in preparation for last year’s Longines Breeders’ Cup Turf (G1T).
He was trained primarily by Phil D’Amato, and was with Michael Dickinson in Maryland when coming back after missing 13 months due to an injury.
Metanovic said Metaboss’ greatest attributes were his ability to be placed anywhere in a race and his strong closing kick.
“He could adjust to any kind of pace,” he said. “And I’ve never seen a horse come home like that. He was a really smart horse and knew exactly what his job was and what he had to do.”
Metranovic said Metaboss will be a good fit in California and that he has been shopping mixed sales for mares to breed to the horse.
“I think he will fit well in this program,” Metranovic said. “We are going to be really aggressive and we have already had a good response. At the Keeneland January (horses of all ages) sale I was looking for fast fillies and accomplished mares who have thrown stakes horses.”
The California-based bloodstock agent said he believes Metaboss would cross well with mares from the Mr. Prospector line since he was sired by a son of Street Cry and was produced from a Free House mare.