Top Racing Mare Melito Retired

In what has come as a shock to many, top racing mare Melito has been retired from racing today.

The four-year-old mare was retired by owners and trainer Gerald Ryan after a disappointing finish in the BTC Cup last weekend.

“I didn’t think she hit the line like she can on Saturday and it had been in the back of our minds,” Ryan said.

“She didn’t feel quite right when ridden yesterday so the connections decided to pull up stumps.”

A daughter to champion sire Redoute’s Choice, Melito has won five of her 26 race starts and accrued close to $2 million in prize money.

Melito raced in 16 Group 1 races during her career, winning both the T.J. Smith Stakes and the Winter Stakes last year.

The gutsy mare only failed to collect prize money on two occasions.

“She’s been terrific,” Ryan said.

“From 26 starts 16 have been in Group 1’s and she won a couple of them.

“She’s such an honest mare and has given me some of my best thrills in racing.”

Ryan believes that Melito will be a great asset as a broodmare for her owners.

“She’s done what she has to do on a racecourse and she’s a very valuable mare,” he said.

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