On July 13, 2007, Funny Cide's retirement was announced. The partnership of Sackatoga Stable, Barclay Tagg and assistant trainer Robin Smullen decided that it was best to retire him on a high note with the victory in the Wadsworth[vague] and with the gelding still fit and sound. Jack Knowlton, managing partner for Sackatoga Stable, agreed that Funny Cide's future career would be at the track with Tagg. He became a stable pony in the mornings, accompanying younger horses in their training. "He'll still be doing what he's done the past five years, but he just won't be racing in the afternoon," Knowlton said.
NYRA (the New York Racing Association) held a "Funny Cide Retirement Party" at Saratoga on August 10, 2007.
Funny Cide is a two-time "New York–bred Horse of the Year". At his retirement, in 38 starts he won 11 races, finished second six times and third eight times; his earnings were $3,529,412.[3] Funny Cide had the highest earnings of any New York-bred racehorse in history. Saratoga Race Course has honored him with a stakes race for older New York-breds, the Funny Cide Stakes.
He was known as "the people's horse" and "the pride of New York".
On December 5, 2008, Funny Cide took up residence at the Kentucky Horse Park alongside Cigar, Da Hoss, the late Alysheba and other champions. His work as Barclay Tagg's stable pony had begun to give him some discomfort.[4]
In April 2010, the New York Thoroughbred Breeders voted Funny Cide the New York–bred horse of the decade
Interest:
On February 2, 2006, Funny Cide finished ahead of odds-on favorite Sun King – winner of the Pennsylvania and Tampa Bay Derbies, third in the 2005 Jockey Club Gold Cup, and later second by a nose Invasor in the 2006 Whitney Stakes – in a one-mile allowance race at Gulfstream Park. The stakes-winning sprinter Sir Greeley took the race in a quick 1:32.42 but Funny Cide's jockey, the top 10 New York Racing Association rider Edgar Prado said, "He broke sharp and was right with those horses from the go. He never gave up. I was very happy with his race."[citation needed]
On April 1, he again placed in his second Excelsior Breeders' Cup Handicap at Aqueduct. "He ran a fantastic race", jockey Richard Migliore said. "Blood and guts all the way to the wire. He's a fantastic racehorse. I wasn't looking for the lead, but my horse was keen and I didn't want to get into a fight with him. When he got alone, he idled better and when company joined him, he fought on again. It was a very game performance."[citation needed]
On April 30, Funny Cide broke his losing streak by taking the Kings Point Handicap at Aqueduct. Jockey Richard Migliore said, "I'm more tired from trying to pull him up. I thought I was going to have to go around again." Jon Constance of Sackets Six said, "We thought that he didn't have the heart he used to have. But it's not so. He looked around and saw that horse coming up at him — and he was gone."[citation needed] (He had consistently reached the high 90s in the Beyer speed figures and at one time had 11 straight races with at least a 100 Beyer figure.)On July 1, Funny Cide led all the way to win the Grade III $200,800, 1 1/4-mile Dominion Day Stakes at Woodbine Racetrack in Toronto, Canada. The race attracted many who had come just to see Funny Cide; they crowded the walking ring when he entered the paddock and gave him an ovation during the post parade. His 1½-length win over a strong field brought the crowd to its feet. Funny Cide broke from the inside post and held off two challenges (from Cryptograph, who finished third and Nolan's Cat, who finished second) in early fractions of :23.62 for the quarter-mile and :47.14 for the half. Funny Cide was the fifth Derby winner to race at Woodbine, and the first to win there since Secretariat took the Canadian International in 1973. He was also the first Kentucky Derby winner to win a graded stakes race at the age of six. Funny Cide was also one of only two Kentucky Derby winners in 46 years to race at the age of six. (The other was Gato Del Sol, the 1982 winner.) Funny Cide ran on May 20, 2006 at Pimlico racecourse in Baltimore. Funny Cide, foaled in Saratoga Springs, ran twice at the "Spa" – first in the Saratoga Breeders' Cup Handicap (before 70,175 fans), and in the Woodward Stakes on September 2, 2006.
On July 4, 2007, lured to Finger Lakes Race Track by an extra $50,000 added to the purse, Funny Cide came roaring around the far turn to take the $100,000 Wadsworth Memorial Handicap by three lengths under Alan Garcia, breaking his six-race winless streak. The track (which could accommodate 2,000 patrons in the clubhouse and another 4,000 in the grandstand) had an attendance of well over 12,000 people (its second-largest crowd since 1962) for Funny Cide's appearance. He was the first winner of a Triple Crown race to run at Finger Lakes in its 46-year history.
