Six-time stakes winner Roadhog has been retired, according to his longtime trainer, Elizabeth Merryman.
Roadhog, 9, won stakes at Laurel Park, Parx Racing, Presque Isle, and Penn National. He retired with 10 wins from 44 starts and earnings of $670,264.
Owned and bred by the Ellendale Racing LLC of Ellen Lea and Dale Schilling, Roadhog is going to become Lea’s riding horse. Lea and Schilling own Willow Lake Farm in Bucks County, Pa.
“He’s fun to ride,” Merryman said. “I galloped him his whole time with me, and I only get on the nice ones. Being the boss, I get to choose my mounts.”
Roadhog was trained by Ned Allard as a 3-year-old but was turned over to Merryman the following season and has been based with her at Fair Hill ever since.
“He’s very pigeon-toed,” Merryman said. “I don’t know how long he would have lasted if he had to train on dirt. He really likes the Tapeta.”
Roadhog is a gelded son of the late sire Bowman’s Band, which made him Maryland-sired and eligible for the Maryland Million program. He was bred in Pennsylvania.
Roadhog won the Maryland Million Turf at Laurel Park in 2012 and 2013. He also won four Pennsylvania-bred stakes, including the Alphabet Soup at Parx in 2010 and 2013.
In one of his more memorable races, Roadhog ran down Ben’s Cat to win the 2013 Maryland Million Turf by a neck.
“There is not a pimple on him,” Merryman said. “It’s so nice to have him retire sound.”
Source: Daily Racing Form, Jim Dunleavy