01/23/2013 6:08PM

Aqueduct: Stakes winner Arena Elvira retired

By David Grening
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Tom Keyser
Arena Elvira has been retired from racing, trainer Bill Mott said Wednesday.

Conspicuous by her absence from Saturday’s $75,000 Affectionately Stakes field was Ladies Handicap winner Arena Elvira, who trainer Bill Mott confirmed Wednesday has been retired from racing.

Mott, speaking from Florida, said Arena Elvira “wasn’t moving well” coming out of the Ladies. She will be bred to Tapit.

Arena Elvira, a daughter of Ghostzapper owned by Carolyn Wilson, had a record of 9-3-3 from 17 starts and earned $497,396. She won six stakes, highlighted by the Grade 2 Falls City at Churchill and Grade 3 Turnback the Alarm at Aqueduct, both in fall 2011. She also won two stakes at Saratoga and one in Tampa.

“When she was in top form, she reeled off five races in a row, including the Falls City at Churchill, which was big,” Mott said. “She was a neat little filly.”

In her absence, Ladies runner-up R Gypsy Gold will be favored in Saturday’s Affectionately. Also entered were Stephanie Jayne, Withgreatpleasure, Smart Cash, and Twice the Lady.