$80K bronze statue of Kentucky Derby winner stolen in Sacramento

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A nearly 7-foot bronze statue honoring a Kentucky Derby winner has been stolen from Sacramento's Del Paso Boulevard, leaving a community without a piece of its history.

The bronze statue of Ben Ali was cut from its pedestal near the 1900 block of Del Paso Boulevard and Winnipeg Street, where it had stood for nearly two decades. The statue is now valued at about $80,000.

Ben Ali was a racehorse that won the Kentucky Derby in 1886. The horse's connection to the area dates back to Rancho Del Paso, a massive ranch that once covered about 44,000 acres of open pasture where thoroughbreds were raised.

The statue was installed in 2007 with the help of a grant and city funding.

Mina Perez, vice chair of the North Sacramento Chamber of Commerce, said the horse represented the accomplishments of an underdog — something that resonated with a community that has faced its own challenges.

"This represents that we can fall, and be broken, but we can still make a difference," the chamber said.

Longtime residents also described the statue as a beautiful reminder of the neighborhood's identity and culture. Now, only a bronze hoof remains at the site.

Perez said the city does not currently have the money to replace the statue.

"They don't have the funding to do this. I don't know if they'll ever have the money," she said.

The Sacramento Police Department is investigating the theft and asking anyone with information to come forward.

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