WinStar Farm announced today that their homebred Multiple Grade 1 winner Colonel John, one of only two three-year-old colts of his generation to win more than one Grade 1 event in North America in 2008, will be retired from racing and stand the 2010 Breeding Season at WinStar in Versailles,KY.
The Leading money-earning colt of Horse of the Year, two-time Breeders¹ Cup Classic winner and Champion Sire Tiznow, Colonel John served notice at Santa Anita as a two-year-old where he demolished the competition, drawing off to a 4 1/2 length victory in a sensational 1:21 2/5. The time was the second fastest of any two-year-old at the Santa Anita meet, tabbing him as a TDN Rising Star. In his next start, Colonel John made his Stakes debut in the Real Quiet Stakes at Hollywood Park easily winning in 1:42 4/5, a new stakes record. Colonel John was also Grade 1-placed at two with a fast- closing runner-up performance in the Grade 1 CashCall Futurity.
As a three-year-old, Colonel John won the Grade 3 Sham Stakes, the $750,000 Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby and the $1,000,000 Grade 1 Travers Stakes, showing his ability to carry his speed at the American Classic distance of a mile and a quarter.
A lung abscess delayed Colonel John’s first start in 2009, however he again flashed his speed in an authoritative win in the Wickerr Stakes at Del Mar, running the mile in a sizzling 1:32 3/5, just 2/5ths of a second off the track record. He followed up that victory with a hard-charging second as the favorite in the Grade 1 Goodwood Stakes at Oak Tree at Santa Anita where he was deprived of victory by a neck.
“I was around Colonel John’s sire Tiznow who was one of the most talented horses I have ever been around. Colonel John has the same qualities as his sire, namely speed, class and durability,” said trainer Eoin Harty.
“We wholeheartedly believe in Colonel John and intend to fully support him with our program,” said Doug Cauthen, President of WinStar Farm. “His resume is complete. He had two-year-old speed, carried it going two turns and is a Multiple Grade 1 winner. He’s the most accomplished son of Tiznow to retire and we are proud to bring him home. He’s a big, athletic horse and has everything we are looking for in a Classic sire prospect. We love his race record, pedigree, and physical. Colonel John should have commercial appeal like his sire Tiznow who is having tremendous success in the sales ring and on the racetrack with 6 Grade 1 winners and 3 Millionaires already.”
Colonel John retires with earnings of $1,779,012. He demonstrated his versatility winning Grade 1 races on dirt and synthetic tracks and was a Stakes winner in his only start on the turf. He won at distances from 6 furlongs to a mile and a quarter.
Colonel John has arrived to the farm and is available for inspection. Stud fee will be $15,000 LFSN.
