The Herringswell Stables of trainer Graham Motion announced on social media Tuesday that Messi has been retired “happy and sound” following his seventh-place effort in a high-level optional-claiming race at Belmont Park on Sunday. Messi, 8, won two of 12 starts, all in Germany, between 2012 and 2014 and was sent to Motion in 2015 for his 5-year-old campaign. The long-winded turf runner won three of his first four U.S. starts, including the Grade 3 Knickerbocker at Aqueduct. In 2016, Messi won the Grade 2 Sky Classic at 1 1/4 miles over the Woodbine turf. A bit flat in his last four races, Messi retires with a 6-5-5 record from 30 starts and $485,000 in earnings.