What a way to finish a career! Eighttofasttocatch became a new millionaire, won his fourth consecutive running of the historic Jennings Handicap, and now heads off in a new direction with a future as an event horse. It has been a career full of spectacular wins, great people and a love for racing – Eighttofasttocatch epitomizes what is so special about a Thoroughbred.

Owned throughout his racing career by Arnold and Sylvia Heft and trained by Tim Keefe, Eighttofasttocatch recorded his 12th stakes win with his Jennings score, and it was easiest one of all. Leading at every call over a sloppy track, he drew off to defeat eight others by nearly 11 lengths. The 1-mile Jennings has always been a tour-de-force for the handsome chestnut son of Not For Love, having won all four by daylight by an average winning margin of six and three-quarters lengths.

Bred by Dark Hollow Farm and Herringswell Stable out of the Nice Catch mare Too Fast to Catch, Eighttofasttocatch retires with a record of 17 wins, seven seconds and four thirds from 49 starts and career earnings of $1,072,970. He captured three runnings of the Maryland Million Classic and is a two-time winner of the Harrison E. Johnson Memorial Stakes. While he didn’t make his first start of 2014 until September, he recorded two stakes wins from three starts. His total earnings tally ranks him 19th among the all-time leading Maryland-bred earners.

Eighttofasttocatch will now retire to Keefe’s Montgomery County farm, but before leaving the track, he’ll participate in a winners’ circle retirement ceremony at Laurel Park on Saturday, Dec. 13. It’ll be a festive send-off for one of Maryland racing’s favorite sons.