Gamely Winner Ocean Road Retired From Racing

Qatar Racing's Ocean Road , an impressive winner of the May 30 Gamely Stakes (G1T) has officially been retired from racing. Trainer Brendan Walsh told BloodHorse July 18 that the 4-year-old filly, who had been training toward last Saturday's Diana Stakes (G1T) at Saratoga Race Course, had torn a ligament in her front leg.

"We just noticed some heat in that leg last week, it wasn't specifically after a work or anything like that," Walsh said. "We just noticed an area and after ultrasounding it we found a tear. I'm afraid that's that."

The daughter of Australia  began her racing career for trainer Hugo Palmer in England, breaking her maiden at Lingfield Racecourse as a juvenile before running third in the Novibet Oaks Trial and sixth in the Cazoo Oaks (G1) behind Snowfall . After placing in the Newmarket Pony Academy Pride Stakes (G3), Ocean Road was sent overseas for a bid in the Maker's Mark Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf (G1T). She ran a respectable sixth at 75-1 odds at Del Mar in what would be her last start for Palmer.

Once joining Walsh's barn over the winter, the filly began to fill out and mature into her frame as a 4-year-old. She grabbed the public's attention during the Keeneland spring meet after exhibiting an explosive last-to-first stretch kick in a paceless allowance optional claiming race to score by a nose.

Shipped out west to Santa Anita Park for the Gamely, Ocean Road didn't disappoint, circling the field again to defeat top Southern California turf mares Going to Vegas  and Going Global .

"She was a filly with a lot of upside but unfortunately these things happen in this game," Walsh said. "At least she won a grade 1 and she'll be fine. It's not a horrible injury but it's something that doesn't allow us to go any further."

Ocean Road has retired with 3-1-2 record from eight career starts for earnings of $351,772. Breeding plans are still undecided at this time.

Walsh also reported that Old Forester Bourbon Turf Classic Stakes (G1T) victor Santin  has been training actively at Saratoga toward a potential start in the Arlington Million (G1T), which will take place Aug. 13 at Churchill Downs.

"He's been working away," Walsh said. "We're kind of moderating the situation at Churchill with the turf course. We're hoping to go to the Arlington Million with him but if not we'll be looking at all other options around that time."

The Godolphin homebred was last seen finishing sixth in the June 11 Resorts World Casino Manhattan Stakes (G1T) at Belmont Park. Things went less than ideal for the Distorted Humor  colt that day, as he had a shoe repaired in the paddock pre-race and jockey Tyler Gafalione lost his stick during the stretch run.

He last breezed a half-mile in :49.72 July 17 on the Oklahoma turf course.

Walsh indicated that New York Stakes (G1T) runner-up Family Way  could also resurface at Churchill Downs later this summer in the Beverly D. Stakes (G1T).