Boom sprinter Barcia Bale has been retired to stud after he broke a hock during training over the weekend.
The son of Go Wild Teddy is due to undergo an operation on the injured hock this afternoon and will then be given time to recover before he stands at Meticulous Lodge Stud in Victoria.
Trainer Graeme Bate told RSN Radio today that he was devestated by the injury to Barcia Bale.
"Barcia (Bale) had so much pace and he will be real popular at stud," Bate said.
Barcia Bale won 13 from 14 career starts. At his first ever race start - under the care of Brendan Wheeler - he smashed the 400m track record at Bulli, stopping the clock at 22.20.
Then at his third start he broke the 450m track record at Maitland with a 24.90 run.
Following that, Barcia Bale was transferred to Bate's Lara kennels where he proceeded to win his next eight starts, including the Group 1 Hudson Pacific Foods Maturity (525m) at The Meadows.
Barcia Bale's only defeat came in the NSW Sprint Championship at Bulli in August.
He won his last career start at Shepparton on 3 September.
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