Already a 'Winner'

By Christie DeBernardis 
    Charles Winner plans for a living as the founder of the strategic communications company Winner and Associates, but his entrance into the world of horse racing ownership happened on a whim in 1985. 
    “I was with a friend and we were talking about various different things and he mentioned that there was an auction the next day at Hollywood Park,” Winner, who is also chairman of the California Horse Racing Board, said. “He had a trainer, so I called his trainer and went down there. I had no idea what I was doing and I bought a horse. The horse turned out to be okay and I kind of got hooked, and I have been at it ever since.” 
    It was on a similar whim that he pulled longtime friend and business associate David Bienstock into the racing industry. With offices in the same building, the two men became good friends and it was Winner who introduced Bienstock to the sport of kings. 
    “That's true and he will never forgive me,” Winner said with a chuckle. “I always give him the option [to partner with me on horses] and he can either accept or reject it. I am the one who selects and buys and he is welcome to come in as a partner on any horse he wants and he knows that.” 
    The pair has successfully teamed up on several horses that Winner hand selected from Europe, including Magical Fantasy (Diesis {GB}). Trained by Paddy Gallagher, the chestnut mare won the 2008 GI Del Mar Oaks and in 2009 won the GI Gamely S., GI John C. Mabee S., GI Yellow Ribbon S. and GII Santa Barbara H. The mare then sold for Shadai Farm for $1.8 million at the 2009 Fasig-Tipton November sale. 
    “I was actually looking at eight horses and I picked out Magical,” Winner commented. “She was the one I wanted. I called my partner David and said, 'I'm buying this horse and if you want half of her it's yours, and if not that's fine; I'm buying her anyway.” 
    The partners decision to buy the future multiple Grade I winner paid off handsomely and Winner hopes they will see the same success with their newest Gallagher trainee Flamboyant (Fr) (Peer Gynt {Jpn}), who is running in Saturday's inaugural GI Belmont Derby, formerly known as the GI Jamaica H. Winner found and acquired Flamboyant in a similar way to Magical Fantasy and Bienstock jumped on board as his partner. 
    “I don't buy a horse if I don't see it, so I go wherever they are,” the 73-year-old remarked. “If somebody suggests a horse to me somewhere in the world and it makes sense to me, I do all the pre-work on the internet and watch them race, and if I really like them I will go over and see them.” 
    Winner continued, “A bloodstock agent in Europe suggested that I look at Flamboyant, so I did. I made an offer pending vet and visual, which is my normal practice. He vetted very well, so I went over there and took a look at him and I liked him a lot, so I bought him. The moment I saw him I liked him and thought he had potential.” 
    Besides conformation and movement, Winner also looks for horses who have the potential to do well on the different surfaces runners encounter in the United States compared to what Europe. 
    “Everything is a little bit different here, different surfaces, different training methods,” Winner said. “Sometimes, if you buy horses in Europe, there is a reasonable chance for improvement when they come over here.” 
    Never off the board in eight starts, Flamboyant won twice in France for trainer Jean Claude Rouget before Winner purchased him privately. 
    “He was not running at the big tracks over there, neither was Magical [Fantasy],” Winner said. “I have bought a lot of horses over there and most of them were not running at major tracks. First of all, I can't afford million-dollar horses, so I'm looking for quality that is not at the highest price and typically look for those who have been running at the second level tracks.” 
    Flamboyant began to show his owners a return on their investment and faith in just his first American start. With his final European outing Jan. 15, the bay made his U.S. debut just four months later when he won Santa Anita's La Puente S. Apr. 19. 
    “The idea was to step him up a little bit and see what he could do,” Winner remarked. “We ran him in the La Puente and he won that, so we were looking for where to go next. There was a race in Pennsylvania we looked at and then we looked at the [nine-furlong Pennine Ridge S.] in New York, which was a prep race for the [Belmont Derby]. So we thought, let's take him there and see what he can do, and if does well enough, we will shoot for this one.” 
    Dispatched as the third choice in that May 26 contest, Flamboyant was a very game second by just a head to the New York-based Gala Award (Bernardini) after a wide trip. 
    “The first two horses in [the Pennine Ridge] were automatic qualifiers for [the Belmont Derby], so since he came in second, we chose to keep him [at Belmont], shoot for this race and see if he can compete against these terrific horses.” 
    Winner, Gallagher and jockey Joel Rosario–who piloted the bay in the Pennine Ridge and gets the call again Saturday–have been very happy with how Flamboyant has been working at Belmont. After working a five-panel bullet over the Belmont turf in 1:00 flat June 22, the bay covered the same course and distance in 1:00 2/5 in his most recent work June 29. 
    “Joel has been working him and we are quite happy,” Winner commented. “I haven't been there to see him, but I have confidence in Paddy and Joel to give me reports. They have been very happy with him, so I have been very happy with him.” 
    Winner will be at Belmont Saturday to watch his horse run, as will Bienstock. Winner believes the extra furlong Flamboyant will run Saturday will benefit the colt, but besides that, he is not sure how Saturday will turn out. 
    “I think [the distance] will work to his advantage,” he said. “I just hope he stays healthy and runs a good race. He is running against some of the best in the world. We'll just have to see. I have no idea how he is going to do. This is a big step up, but he has never run a bad race.” 
    Flamboyant may be making a big step up into Grade I company Saturday, but if he continues his upward momentum, he will give them a run for their money and prove Winner's instincts right again.