Grade 1 Winner Green Gratto Finishes Last In Comeback Race, Will Be Retired

Grade 1-winning millionaire Green Gratto was returning to the races off a 16-month layoff on Sunday at Monmouth Park, but the 10-year-old gelding incurred a superficial wound on his right foreleg at the start and was eased to finish last in the field of seven. Trainer Kathleen O'Connell told the Daily Racing Form that Green Gratto's owners will take him back to their Florida farm for retirement.

“Other than that small mark, he's okay,” O'Connell told drf.com. “He jogs sound, but he is being retired and after resting a few days he is going back to his farm.”

Retired to stud in 2018, Green Gratto was found to be infertile and thus gelded. He had been entered for a comeback last fall at Gulfstream when a social media firestorm forced him to be withdrawn from that race.

Unraced since April of 2018, Green Gratto was under the care of trainer Tamara Levy when his first comeback attempt was spoiled. He returned to owner Norman Wilson's farm, where Wilson said the gelding became listless and unhappy, before he was sent to trainer Kathleen O'Connell in 2020.

Green Gratto recorded three workouts at Monmouth since late June, and shows works at Tampa Bay Downs as early as Feb. 8 of this year. The gelding was listed at 8-1 on the morning line for Sunday's six-furlong contest, which was a $20,000 optional claiming race restricted to New Jersey-breds.

Prior to his unsuccessful stallion career, Green Gratto amassed earnings of $1,149,202 with a record of nine wins, nine seconds, and nine thirds from 65 starts. His graded stakes victories include the G1 Carter in 2017, G3 Toboggan in 2017 and G3 Fall Heighweight in 2015.