Bal a Bali (foaled September 22, 2010) is a Brazilian-bred Thoroughbred racehorse that won the Brazilian Rio de Janeiro Triple Crown in 2014, the twelfth horse to do so.
He is the second survivor of laminitis to return and win a Grade I race (the first being Lady Eli in the 2016 Flower Bowl), marking significant progress in the treatment of the disease.
Bal a Bali is a dark bay stallion who was bred by Haras Santa Maria de Araras, which is owned by Brazilian banker Julio Bozano.
[4] The resulting foal, named Bal a Bali by Bozano's wife, was a well-built colt who was calm and easy to handle.
[5] At age two, Bal a Bali won three of four races, all held at the Hipódromo da Gávea in Rio de Janeiro.
[2] Bal a Bali started his three-year-old campaign on September 14, 2013 in the Leiloes Jockey Club Brasileiro - Versao Potros, run at a distance of 1600m (about 1 mile), and won by 5+1⁄2 lengths in a time of 1:33.37 on soft turf.
[6] On February 16, Bal a Bali returned to win the second leg of the Triple Crown, the Grande Prêmio Francisco Eduardo de Paula Machado, in a time of 1:59.25 for the distance of 2,000m.
[4] Dr Vernon Dryden of Rood & Riddle Equine Hospital said that Bal a Bali had full-blown laminitis: the coffin bone was displaced and had rotated down and away from the wall of the hoof.
Bal a Bali developed a large abscess on his foot that Dryden opened and then treated with sterile maggots to prevent sepsis.
[4] Bal a Bali finally returned to the racetrack on May 9, 2015 after an absence of nearly 11 months in the Grade III American Stakes at Santa Anita.
"[8] Bal a Bali made his next start on June 15 in the Grade I Shoemaker Mile, where he was moving well around the turn and looked like a possible winner.
On October 30, Mandella entered him in an allowance optional claiming race at Del Mar, and Bal a Bali responded with a 1+3⁄4-length victory.
"[9] Instead, Bal a Bali was entered in the Group I Frank E. Kilroe Mile on March 11, 2017 where he was the 9-1 longshot in a highly competitive field of six.
"[12] On August 20, Bal a Bali made what would prove to be his final start in the Del Mar Mile Handicap, finishing sixth.
[1] He was next being pointed to the Breeders' Cup Mile but Mandella felt he was not training at a high enough level so the decision was made to retire him.