By Bloodhorse.com
ARCADIA, Calif. (Feb. 4, 2017) — California-bred Grade 1 winner Ralis has been retired from racing because of a tendon injury and will participate in the 2017 breeding season, trainer Doug O’Neill said Feb. 4.
O’Neill said he was unsure where Reddam Racing’s homebred 4-year-old son of Square Eddie will stand.
As a 2-year-old, the California-bred shipped to Saratoga Race Course to win the 2015 Hopeful Stakes (G1) and never returned to the winner’s circle. He did run well in multiple tries on turf, however, including a second-place run in the 2016 Del Mar Derby (G2T).
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“It was unfortunate that he didn’t win as a 3-year-old, but after winning a grade 1 as a 2-year-old on dirt, he turned out to be a really nice turf horse,” O’Neill said. “He had a couple races, if maybe we had a little more luck, he could have won, but he’s had a great career and should be a useful stud.”
Ralis won two races and ran second four times in 17 starts and earned $424,773. He is out of the Ten Most Wanted mare Silar Rules.
“(To win the Hopeful) was quite a thrill for everybody, especially at Ocean Breeze (Ranch), where Square Eddie stands,” O’Neill said. “They deserve a lot of credit, because that’s where Ralis was raised. It was a home-team victory, big-time.”