Benny the Bull retired with ankle injury

Benny the Bull retires a winner after taking the Smile Sprint in his final start (Jim Lisa Photos)

Multiple Grade/Group 1 winner BENNY THE BULL (Lucky Lionel) has been retired

because of an ankle injury, according to owner IEAH Stables' Michael Sherack.

On Monday, Benny the Bull breezed six furlongs in 1:14 1/5 in preparation for

Saturday's Forego H. (G1) at Saratoga, where he would have been the likely

favorite. The next day, however, the five-year-old developed a filling in the

ankle and X-rays revealed a chip.

Benny the Bull would have been going for his sixth straight stakes score in

the Forego, having previously captured the Smile Sprint H. (G2), True North H.

(G2), Dubai Golden Shaheen (UAE-G1), Sunshine Millions Sprint and Frank J. De

Francis Memorial S. (G1). Last year, the Richard Dutrow-trained dark bay ran

fourth in the Breeders' Cup Sprint (G1), second in the Forego S. (G1) and fourth

in the Alfred G. Vanderbilt H. (G2).

Benny the Bull has compiled a lifetime record of 17-9-1-2 and earnings of

$2,221,630.

Breeding plans for the five-year-old are undecided, according to Sherack.