won by two and a quarter lengths from Tonalist. After the race, Jerkens said "I don't think Secretariat worked any better than this horse does in the morning. I know the talent's there. It's just getting him to put it all together." In the Travers Stakes on August 23, he started joint-second-favourite with Tonalist behind the Haskell Invitational Stakes winner Bayern. He stalked the pace set by Bayern and took the lead at the one mile pole, but though he again defeated Tonalist, he was nipped at the wire in a photo finish by stablemate V.E. Day. After becoming the first trainer since Nick Zito to send out a 1–2 in the race, Jerkens commented "I just feel bad for Wicked Strong; that's the only thing, he ran so hard." On September 27 Wicked Strong faced Tonalist, V.E. Day and the leading older horse Moreno in the Jockey Club Gold Cup over ten furlongs at Belmont. He was travelling well just behind the leaders when he was cut off by Moreno approaching the final turn, clipped heels, and unseated his jockey Rajiv Maragh. Maragh suffered a broken arm in the fall, but the horse appeared to come out of the race without injury; Moreno finished fourth, but was disqualified due to interference and placed last. 2015: four-year-old season Wicked Strong made his 2015 debut in the Gulfstream Park Handicap in March and finished fourth behind Honor Code. He finished third behind Effinex in the Excelsior Stakes at Aqueduct in April, and then finished fifth of the ten runners, again behind Honor Code, in the Metropolitan Handicap in June. He finished second in the Forbidden Apple Stakes, fourth in the Whitney Handicap, third in the Woodward Stakes, and second in the Jockey Club Gold Cup. He made the final start of his career in the 2015 Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile, running fourth to Liam's Map. Retirement and stud career Before his start in the 2015 Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile, it was announced that Spendthrift Farm had acquired Wicked Strong's breeding rights, and that he would retire at the end of the year to assume stallion duties at the farm beginning in 2016. Wicked Strong was bred to 190 mares in his first book, second only to American Pharoah among first year stallions. His first foal, a colt out of mare Circle My Name (by Ophidian), was born on New Year's Day.