New York ? Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner War Emblem was sold for $17 million on Wednesday, and plans called for the 3-year-old colt to run in the Breeders’ Cup Classic before retiring to stud in Japan.

The deal was completed in Lexington, Ky., where Katsumi Yoshida of Shadai Stallion Station was attending the Keeneland September yearling sale, according to Web site reports by The Bloodhorse and the Thoroughbred Times.

War Emblem, bred by Russell Reineman and purchased for $900,000 by the late Saudi Prince Ahmed bin Salman a few weeks before the Derby, finished eighth after stumbling out of the gate in the Belmont Stakes in his bid to become racing’s first Triple Crown winner since 1978.