Winchell Thoroughbreds

Sent off the lukewarm 5-2 choice, Winchell Thoroughbred's Wicked Halo (Gun Runner) made that price seem like a gift after rolling home an emphatic four-length winner in Saturday's GII Lexus Raven Run S. at Keeneland. Settled in third, Wicked Halo waited as Smash Ticket (Midnight Lute) sprinted to the front and carved out an opening quarter in :22.73 while Freedom Speaks (American Freedom) pressed the issue. Three wide and ready to pounce at any moment following a half in :46.09, Wicked Halo collared the front-running duo while fanned out several...

In another dominating display of talent, Gunite pounced on dueling rivals and rolled home to a flashy victory in Keeneland's Perryville S. Second to fleet-footed stakes-winner Conagher (Jimmy Creed) in a non-winners of three at Churchill Downs June 3, he parlayed that effort into victories in that track's Maxfield S., Saratoga's GII Amsterdam S., and a runner-up effort two-back to Jack Christopher (Munnings) in the GI H. Allen Jerkens Memorial S. Returning to winning ways last out Sept. 24 in the Harrods Creek S. beneath the Twin Spires over familiar...

EXTRA ANEJO, a $1,350,000 KEESEP purchase bet down to 7-5 for his debut performance, backed up those odds with an impressive romp on debut to earn 'TDN Rising Star' status. After breaking on top, he took steady pressure from a pair of rivals to his outside up the backstretch run. He began to edge clear under his own power into the far turn and showed another gear when asked with a single tap of the crop at the top of the lane to draw off readily. Under a motionless Tyler...

Sponsored by Alex Nichols Agency                        7th-KEE, $100K, Msw, 2yo, 7f, 4:12 p.m. Purchased by Winchell Thoroughbreds for $1,350,000 out of last year's Keeneland September Sale, EXTRA ANEJO (Into Mischief) debuts Thursday for trainer Steve Asmussen. A bay son of Superioritycomplex (Ire) (Hard Spun), herself a half-sister to MGSP Abingdon (Street Cry {Ire}), he hails from the extended family of MG1SW & American champion grass mare Islington (Ire) (Sadler's Wells), G1SW & MG1SP Greek Dance (Ire) (Sadler's Wells), GSW &...

Ron Winchell, who campaigned champion Gun Runner, as well as several of the stallion's early star offspring, went to $1.5 million to acquire a bay filly (hip 87) by the sire Monday at Keeneland. Winchell purchased the filly in partnership with Three Chimneys Farm. She is out of Tip at Tapit (Tapit), a full-sister to Grade I winner Time and Motion. The filly was consigned by Darby Dan Farm and was bred by Phillips Racing Partnership and the Gun Runner Syndicate.   🌟 @keenelandsales September: Hip 87, a Gun Runner...

One of the major highlights of the Keeneland September Sale, especially Book 1, is the ability to shop the first foals of some of the top racemares in recent years. This year, Book 1 features six yearlings who are the first offspring of Grade I-winning mares. It also includes four others who are not the first foals of top mares, but are the first foals out of Grade I winners to be offered at public auction, such as Hip 51, a Tapit filly out of champion Songbird. SEPARATIONOFPOWERS - Curlin...

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y.--After leading the sophomore male division through the winter and early spring, Epicenter (Not This Time) ended up second as the favorite in the first two legs of the Triple Crown. Losing none of his luster in those defeats, the Winchell Thoroughbreds colorbearer rebounded with a decisive score in the GII Jim Dandy S. and had his connections feeling confident he could finally get the Grade I he was lacking, but certainly deserved. Epicenter did just that Saturday with an emphatic score in the prestigious GI Runhappy Travers...

First year stallion and 2020 G1 Santa Anita H. winner Combatant (Scat Daddy-Border Dispute, by Boundary) has died suddenly from colic in Chile. He had just begun Southern Hemisphere stud duties at Haras Porta Pia. Combatant stood his first year at Rockridge Stud in Hudson, NY. Earner of over a million in his racing career, one which saw him annex the Big Cap and pick up minor honors in six other graded contests, Combatant was a $320,000 yearling purchase by Winchell Thoroughbreds at KEESEP in 2016. He placed in the...

Echo Again (Gun Runner) was no secret coming into this debut and ran to the hype, becoming the latest 'TDN Rising Star' for his sensational young sire with an eye-catching graduation at Saratoga. Away quickest of all from the center stall, the 3-5 chalk seized the early advantage and seemed well within himself as he coasted along through opening splits of :22.39 and :45.66. Turning for home with a head of steam, the gray opened up with ease while under a hand ride from Ricardo Santana, Jr. to win for...

Disarm (c, 2, Gun Runner--Easy Tap, by Tapit), a visually impressive rallying third behind subsequent GIII Sanford S. winner Mo Strike (Uncle Mo) going 5 1/2 furlongs on debut at Churchill Downs June 19, took a big step forward to earn 'TDN Rising Star' honors in his second trip to the post at Saratoga Saturday. Drawn on the fence in this seven-furlong affair, the Winchell homebred traveled nicely on the inside in fifth through an opening quarter in :22.77. The 9-5 second-choice was tipped out three deep leaving the quarter...

While all eyes were on returning champion Corniche (Quality Road) who faded to last, Gunite (Gun Runner) completed a big weekend at Saratoga for Winchell Thoroughbreds and trainer Steve Asmussen with a gritty victory in the GII Amsterdam S. in upstate New York Sunday. Sent off at 7-1, last year's GI Hopeful S. winner battled Pinehurst (Twirling Candy) through fractions of :21.78 and :44.60, while Corniche sat in stalking position behind the dueling leaders. As the champ backed up on the turn, Gunite strode to the lead into the lane...

Epicenter (Not This Time), a too-good-to-be-second as the favorite in both the GI Kentucky Derby and GI Preakness S., stamped himself as the horse to beat in the 'Mid-Summer Derby' with a powerful, last-to-first victory in Saturday's GII Jim Dandy S. at Saratoga. Zandon (Upstart), making his first start since a third-place finish in the Kentucky Derby, was 1 1/2 lengths back in second after racing prominently. Tawny Port (Pioneerof the Nile), a last out winner of the GIII Ohio Derby, was another half-length back in third. The GI Preakness...