Turf star Gorella retired

Gorella, a finalist for the Eclipse Award as the nation's outstanding turf female of 2006, has been retired, trainer Patrick Biancone said on Wednesday.

"She had a little chip in an ankle," Biancone said.

In her final start, Gorella, now 5, finished seventh in the Breeders' Cup Mile against males at Churchill Downs in November.

Biancone said that Gorella left his stable on Monday and was shipped to Kentucky. Breeding plans were expected to be finalized later this week, Biancone said.

A winner of 7 of 17 starts and $1,456,209, Gorella won three consecutive graded stakes last year to vault to the fore of the turf female division. Owned by Martin Schwartz, Gorella won the Grade 2 Just a Game Handicap at Belmont Park, the Grade 1 Beverly D. Stakes at Arlington Park, and the Grade 2 First Lady Stakes at Keeneland.

She finished second in Eclipse Award balloting to Ouija Board.

Gorella had excellent form in France in 2005, winning the Group 2 Prix de Sandringham and placing in two Group 1 races.