G1 Winner & Multi-Surface Success Paddy O'Prado Retired

According to Bloodhorse.com, Grade One winner Paddy O’Prado was retired today after being diagnosed with a fractured sesamoid bone in his right front ankle after a win in Saturday’s G2 Dixie Stakes. The four-year-old son of El Prado looked to lead the Handicap division in America this year after a successful three-year-old campaign on turf, dirt and polytrack.

The gray colt was purchased at the 2008 Keeneland September yearling sale for $105,000 by Dale Romans on behalf of Dongeal Racing.

Romans trained the colt throughout his career, leading him to a successful career with five wins in 14 starts that started with a maiden-breaking win in the G2 Palm Beach Stakes on turf followed by a second in the G1 Toyota Blue Grass Stakes on polytrack behind Stately Victor that stamped his ticket to the G1 Kentucky Derby, where he finished third.

After an unplaced finish in the G1 Preakness Stakes, Paddy O’Prado returned to turf where he became a monster, winning three graded stakes in a row, including the G1 Secretariat Stakes. Paddy O’ Prado returned to dirt one last time in the Breeder’s Cup Classic, where he finished fifth after sitting in the back of the pack.

His last race of his three-year-old year was the G1 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic Invitational on turf where he finished second. The Dixie Stakes was his only start as a four-year-old.

“Today is bittersweet,” Romans said in a statement on bloodhorse.com. “Paddy returned to training like a big gray monster, and we thought we were sitting on the horse of the year but now he will be able to go on and be a champion sire.

“He was as versatile as any horse I’ve ever trained, and competed at the highest levels on turf, dirt and polytrack.” Romans continued. “It takes a special horse to win or place in grade I races on all three surfaces. He never gave less than full effort, and every time we led him to the track, I was confident that he could compete against any other horse.”

Paddy O Prado is out of the Prized mare Fun House and ends his career with a record of 14-5-3-3 for earnings of $1,721,297. No stud plans have been announced for the stallion.