The bronze statue of Ben Ali, a 7‑foot tribute to the 1886 Kentucky Derby champion, was installed in 2007 and formally dedicated in 2008, standing near the Sacramento Youth Center on Del Paso Boulevard.
Police say the thieves sawed through the bronze legs, leaving the concrete base with a single hoof intact; the remaining fragment indicates how the monument was removed.
Police Chief Kevin M. O'Connor told reporters the department has set up a dedicated task force to track the missing sculpture and is pursuing all leads, including potential scrap‑metal buyers.
The Del Paso Boulevard Business Association has urged any witnesses to come forward, citing the statue’s importance as a local landmark tied to the historic Rancho Del Paso breeding operation.
Investigators are calling the public for information and have posted the statue’s image on social media, hoping a tip will reveal the statue’s whereabouts or the identity of the perpetrators.