El Deal (Munnings–Spirit of Wailea, by Out of Place), a powerful eight-length winner of this summer's GI Alfred G. Vanderbilt H. at Saratoga, has been retired from racing.
The 5-year-old also captured the 2015 Gold Fever S. at Belmont, this year's Decathlon S. at Monmouth and was second as the 6-5 favorite in Belmont's GI Vosburgh S. Sept. 30. The half-brother to the stakes-placed Legacy Wildcat (Forest Wildcat) was campaigned by owners Al and Michelle Crawford and trained by Jorge Navarro. He was produced by a half-sister to MGSW and G1 Dubai World Cup third Choctaw Nation (Louis Quatorze).
“We had a great ride with El Deal,” owner Michelle Crawford said. “Taking on and beating the best sprinters of his generation in such dramatic style at Saratoga was a testament to his sheer brilliance and the thrill of a lifetime for us. We've have had a few farms looking into his availability as a stallion and he has certainly earned that opportunity. We have not finalized any plans as of yet, but I am weighing all options for his future. In the meantime, immediate plans include shipping him to Hidden Brook Farm in Paris, Kentucky for that team to field additional inquiries and potential stud opportunities.”
Bred in Kentucky by Martha Buckner, El Deal retires with a record of 17-9-3-1 and earnings of $575,025.
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