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WinStar Racing
On the heels of a hugely successful 2007 racing season the WinStar runners have so far carried that momentum into the first quarter of 2008. Two homebred sons of WinStar/Taylor Made stallion Tiznow have played a big role in WinStar’s early season success.
 One always hopes for a colt that blossoms in early spring and Colonel John has done just that for his connections. An ultra-confident Corey Nakatani may have given the WinStar faithful a few anxious moments past the ¼ pole, but once he angled out for racing room in upper stretch the Santa Anita Derby (Gr.1) was a foregone conclusion. With that win Colonel John has vaulted to the very top of a great many Kentucky Derby lists. Boasting a record of 4 wins and a pair of second place finishes from 6 lifetime starts the long-striding son of Tiznow figures to enter the starting gate at Churchill Downs as either first or second choice in the Run for the Roses.
 Court Vision has also given WinStar every reason to be fired up about the first Saturday in May. Court Vision was purchased by WinStar at the Fasig-Tipton Calder Two-Year-Old sale in 2007. In the fall of 2007, he won both the Iroquois Stakes (Gr. 3) and the Remsen Stakes (Gr.2) to put himself high on the list of Derby hopefuls. In 2008, the powerful racing management company IEAH Stable bought a 50% interest in Court Vision with the goal of winning a classic race clearly in their sights. In his two starts for 2008, the stretch-running son of Gulch has finished a closing third in each of his last two outings, the Wood Memorial (Gr.1) and Florida Derby (Gr.1). Most recently, Court Vision reminded us all of his fondness for the Churchill Downs surface by blitzing a bullet ½ mile in :46.20. “We’d never tested him with the blinkers and it was a big wake-up call. As good as he worked in them I’d be foolish not to put them on for the Derby.” http://tcm.bloodhorse.com/viewstory.asp?id=44650
 The other half of WinStar’s Tiznow tandem is the Colonel’s California stablemate Well Armed. Coming off a big score in the San Antonio Handicap (Gr.2) the honest gelding was off to Dubai to compete in the world’s richest horse race the $6M Dubai World Cup (Gr.1). Well Armed led for much of the 1 ¼ before finally succumbing only to Curlin and in the final few strides Asiatic Boy while defeating all others in the world class international field.
The training methods of Irishman Eoin Harty have obviously agreed with the sons of the two-time Breeders’ Cup Classic winner.
 WinStar & J. Paul Reddam’s Spring at Last uncorked a beauty in the Donn Handicap (Gr.1) at Gulfstream Park in early February. The 5 year-old horse by Silver Deputy ran the 9 furlongs in a terrific 1:48.1 and was back in his stall at Hollywood Park before the rest of the field knew what hit them. This race only affirmed what a thoroughly genuine runner he has been! Unfortunately, he sustained a tendon injury in the Carter Handicap (Gr. 1), and will be retired to stud at WinStar. http://news.bloodhorse.com/viewstory.asp?id=44735
Speaking of genuine, Spring at Last’s half-sister and Gr.2 winner Sharp Susan made a triumphant return to the races on April 6 taking a one-mile Allowance race over the Keeneland turf course. Co-owners WinStar Farm & IEAH Stable would like nothing better than to make the lovely Touch Gold-Winter’s Gone filly a Grade 1 stakes winner before year’s end. That would make three Grade 1 winners for the dam Winter’s Gone, and make her a legitimate contender for Broodmare of the Year!
 Also waiting in the wings to get 2008 rolling this summer is four-year-old Cowtown Cat, who has been breezing up a storm for trainer Todd Pletcher of late. Owned by the partnership of WinStar Farm & Gulf Coast Farms, Cowtown Cat was purchased at the 2006 Barretts Two-Year-Old sale for $1.5 million. Cowtown Cat was a strong Derby contender himself last year, with impressive wins in the Gotham Stakes (Gr.3) and Illinois Derby (Gr.2) leading up to the Derby. Unfortunately, he had some minor physical ailments that sidelined him for the fall of 2007, but he is coming back strong. He is an awesome physical specimen, and bred superbly as well, being a son of WinStar stallion Distorted Humor, and out of a young Storm Cat mare. We hope to one day see him in the WinStar stallion barn beside his father Distorted Humor, once his racing career is complete.
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