Grand Couturier, a two-time winner of the Grade I Sword Dancer Invitational who competed in the race five consecutive summers at Saratoga, has been retired.

The 7-year-old son of Grand Lodge suffered a recent flare-up of an old ankle problem and, while he's currently sound, trainer Bobby Ribaudo and owner Marc Keller decided continuing his career wasn't worth the risk.

The British-bred Grand Couturier began his career in France before being purchased by Keller and shipped to the United States as a 3-year-old. In his first start in North America, he finished third in the 2006 Sword Dancer. He then scored back-to-back wins in the race in 2007 and 2008, becoming just the fourth horse to pull off the double. He couldn't pull off the three-peat though, finishing fifth in 2009 and sixth in 2010, which would be his final start. Fittingly, Telling won both of those races to become the fifth two-time winner of the race.

Grand Couturier wasn't limited to Saratoga, enjoying plenty of success elsewhere on the NYRA circuit. He followed his win in the 2008 Sword Dancer with a 10 1/4-length victory in the Joe Hirsch Turf Classic Invitational at Belmont, the third Grade I of his career. He won the Grade II Bowling Green at Belmont in 2009 and earned five other stakes placings on the NYRA circuit, finishing third in the Grade III Fort Marcy at Aqueduct in 2007; third in the Grade I Man o' War at Belmont in 2007; third in the Academy Award at Belmont in 2008; third via disqualification in the Turf Classic in 2009; and second in the Grade II Red Smith at Aqueduct in 2009.

Grand Couturier retires with a record of 28-8-1-6 and earnings of $1,451,595. Stud plans have yet to be determined.

Grand Couturier in the paddock and warmup prior to his final career start, in the 2010 Sword Dancer

at Saratoga: