Winning Colors Euthanized

[bigmack]

Tough filly.

Champion Winning Colors, winner of the 1988 Kentucky Derby, was euthanized Feb. 17 at Hagyard Davidson McGee vet clinic near Lexington following complications from colic. She was 23.

http://news.bloodhorse.com/viewstory.asp?id=43702

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u-ettumSwyA

[Overlay]

I'm sorry to hear that. She had a special place in Triple Crown history.

[Hajck Hillstrom]

I'm sorry to hear that. She had a special place in Triple Crown history....and a very special place in my heart.

I saw her break her maiden at first asking at Saratoga beating the 2 year old filly Eclipse Award winner that year, Epitome.

I followed her back to California and watched her 88 Derby campaign in awe.

Photos of her adorn my office wall, and she will always be fondly remembered.

[cnollfan]

Thanks for posting the links.

My choice for most exciting race ever is the Personal Ensign - Winning Colors Breeders' Cup.

[JPinMaryland]

Fantastic picture of her on p. 495 of Avalyn Hunter's book. She's all greyed out or dappled or whatever you call it.

Does anyone have any memories of the Preakness that year, when Woody Stephens sent 49er to carry her out wide? I recall those events but not the race itself...

[46zilzal]

Fantastic picture of her on p. 495 of Avalyn Hunter's book. She's all greyed out or dappled or whatever you call it.

Does anyone have any memories of the Preakness that year, when Woody Stephens sent 49er to carry her out wide? I recall those events but not the race itself...
That garnered a full front page editorial in the DRF.

If the stewards don't call foul , it is defensive riding. All her rider (Gary Stevens I believe) had to do was take back. He took the bait and went with it.

I heard that she had developed a melanoma on her head.

[MAGICHORSEMAN]

That was one of the greatest races ever!

[Hajck Hillstrom]

Does anyone have any memories of the Preakness that year, when Woody Stephens sent 49er to carry her out wide? I recall those events but not the race itself...My memory of that race was that I lost all respect for Pat Day and took Woodford Cefis Stephens off my Christmas card list. I thought it was a major black eye for racing, and for Pat Day, who is supposed to be such an honorable man. Before that day, he was one of my favorite jocks, but on May 21st, 1988, he plummeted to the bottom of my list, never to climb any higher for the rest of his career. Not to dismiss Eddie D's ride on Risen Star and a great win for his connections, but I would have liked to see the result of the race without Day sacrificing his mount in an effort to compromise the filly.

[Hajck Hillstrom]

All her rider, Gary Stevens, had to do was take back. He took the bait and went with it.No argument there. One thing for certain, it wasn't a battle of intellect on the front end that day.

[bigmack]

b66OntWOa2Q

[CryingForTheHorses]

Damn...She was such a beautiful filly! Tough as nails and a true warrior.Colic a lot of times is a death sentence for a horse if not caught in time.Hopefully she will also be buried at Churchhill Downs along side of Barbaro..Another true champion

[lilmegahertz]

One of the original dominant females of racing...Wow. This is a major heartbreak alert. She will always hold a special place in my heart....

[46zilzal]

One of the original dominant females of racing...Wow. This is a major heartbreak alert. She will always hold a special place in my heart....
Good, but hardly ORIGINAL being a foal of 1985. It's funny how at one's passing, good becomes great. 3 major wins makes this one an ORIGINAL? hardly.

She was good for only a very short time.
At 3 Won Santa Anita Derby -G1 (500,000), Kentucky Derby -G1 (350,000), Santa Anita Oaks -G1 (150,000), La Centinela S. (R) -L (75,000), 2nd Breeders' Cup Distaff S. -G1 (1,000,000), Las Virgenes S. -G1 (100,000), Maskette S. -G1 (100,000), 3rd Preakness S. -G1 (350,000), 4th Spinster S. -G1 (250,000)

At 4 Won Turfway Breeders' Cup S. -L (50,000), 4th Maskette S. -G1 (100,000)

[dvlander]

Good, but hardly ORIGINAL being a foal of 1985. It's funny how at one's passing, good becomes great. 3 major wins makes this one an ORIGINAL? hardly.


Disagree strongly - Winning Colors beating the boys in the SA Derby and especially the Ky Derby cranking out impressive early fractions without being asked qualifies her as great IMHO. I believe she would have had the Preakness as well if not for the deliberate Forty-Niner hatchet job.

Yes, she did not have a great deal of longevity. Horses are fragile beings. They are not intended to be Cal Ripken Jr. I would refer to Barbaro as a great horse based on his Derby performance despite the tragedy in the Preakness.

Varied opinions are what makes this board great. However, I'm starting to see why you've irritated folks with about 12,000 of your 12,016 posts.

[46zilzal]

Hardly original either.

In racing perspective she grabbed a few headlines.

Busher (Horse of the year), Gallorette, Ta Wee, Miesque, Davona Dale, Chris Everett, Moccasin (horse of the year), Princess Rooney, Two Lea, Nellie Flag, Personal Ensign, Cicada, Regret, the undefeated Kincsem, Shuvee, Real Delight, Firenze, Dance Smartly, Lady's Secret (another Horse of the year), Fashion, Mata Hari, etc.....they are originals.

She was a bright light for a few weeks when it counted. Sad to see her go, but you have to put her in perspective....Something that the "short timers" always forget.

[GlenninOhio]

Hardly original either.

In racing perspective she grabbed a few headlines.

Busher (Horse of the year), Gallorette, Ta Wee, Miesque, Davona Dale, Chris Everett, Moccasin (horse of the year), Princess Rooney, Two Lea, Nellie Flag, Personal Ensign, Cicada, Regret, the undefeated Kincsem, Shuvee, Real Delight, Firenze, Dance Smartly, Lady's Secret (another Horse of the year), Fashion, Mata Hari, etc.....they are originals.

She was a bright light for a few weeks when it counted. Sad to see her go, but you have to put her in perspective....Something that the "short timers" always forget.

Any room for Ruffian on your "originals" list, or is she off the board along with Winning Colors?

[46zilzal]

Any room for Ruffian on your "originals" list, or is she off the board along with Winning Colors?
That list was open ended as you see and did not include many. That one was in a class by herself.

[lilmegahertz]

Good, but hardly ORIGINAL being a foal of 1985. It's funny how at one's passing, good becomes great. 3 major wins makes this one an ORIGINAL? hardly.

She was good for only a very short time.
At 3 Won Santa Anita Derby -G1 (500,000), Kentucky Derby -G1 (350,000), Santa Anita Oaks -G1 (150,000), La Centinela S. (R) -L (75,000), 2nd Breeders' Cup Distaff S. -G1 (1,000,000), Las Virgenes S. -G1 (100,000), Maskette S. -G1 (100,000), 3rd Preakness S. -G1 (350,000), 4th Spinster S. -G1 (250,000)

At 4 Won Turfway Breeders' Cup S. -L (50,000), 4th Maskette S. -G1 (100,000)

Sigh:rolleyes: ....I guess my crime here is that I neglected to say that this is on MY list of females from the beginning of MY interest in the sport. I was not informed that only facts and not heartfelt emotions would be allowed. Apologies for the confusion. TW :cool:

[Shenanigans]

Good, but hardly ORIGINAL being a foal of 1985. It's funny how at one's passing, good becomes great. 3 major wins makes this one an ORIGINAL? hardly.

She was good for only a very short time.
At 3 Won Santa Anita Derby -G1 (500,000), Kentucky Derby -G1 (350,000), Santa Anita Oaks -G1 (150,000), La Centinela S. (R) -L (75,000), 2nd Breeders' Cup Distaff S. -G1 (1,000,000), Las Virgenes S. -G1 (100,000), Maskette S. -G1 (100,000), 3rd Preakness S. -G1 (350,000), 4th Spinster S. -G1 (250,000)

At 4 Won Turfway Breeders' Cup S. -L (50,000), 4th Maskette S. -G1 (100,000)


She was only the third ever filly to win the Derby. That makes her great. Maybe not in your cynical blind eyes but to some of us getting to witness a moment like that in Ky Derby history makes it great. I think had she been trained by someone else, you wouldn't be dissing her.
BTW, melanomas are VERY common in grays (so what's your point of mentioning she had one?:rolleyes: ). i.e Cozzene is covered in them. If you can't see them on the outside, they are more than likely on the inside.

[lilmegahertz]

[QUOTE=lilmegahertz]Sigh:rolleyes: ....I guess my crime here is that I neglected to say that this is on MY list of females from the beginning of MY interest in the sport. I was not informed that only facts and not heartfelt emotions would be allowed. But on the other hand I was stating facts as she won some big races and was only one of the three fillies to win the Derby. Fans remember her, they will miss her. Mention her name to them and they remember how they felt watching her on the track. That is part of her greatness. To inspire respect and admiration for many years after the fact. Winning Colors, to me and countless others, you are an original. RIP sweetie.

[JustRalph]

hey 46 , when we find out where she is going to be buried, I will let you know so you can piss on her grave............

[46zilzal]

Maybe not in your cynical blind eyes but to some of us getting to witness a moment like that in Ky Derby history makes it great. I think had she been trained by someone else, you wouldn't be dissing her.

No HISTORICAL perspective. Great is thrown around too often in this game. I can recall Whittingham talking about Cougar II a multiple grade one winner on turf and dirt and he had it right: "He was a useful horse."

You leave the designation "great" for giants that are consistent, have longevity and overcome adversity.

[PaceAdvantage]

She was a bright light for a few weeks when it counted. Sad to see her go, but you have to put her in perspective....Something that the "short timers" always forget.Yeah, a few weeks....April to November? Or don't you count the fact that she ran Personal Ensign to within a whisker of what would have been her only career defeat?

[46zilzal]

Yeah, a few weeks....April to November? Or don't you count the fact that she ran Personal Ensign to within a whisker of what would have been her only career defeat?
Alone on the lead is a popular ploy. I use it often, but one of the original best, as opposed to a front page propaganda horse that was good for a few months of her three year old campaign?

Historical perspective sinks this back to reality: a good one for three quarters of a three year old season. One that is in the record books, but not with the feminine greats.

[classhandicapper]

Alone on the lead is a popular ploy. I use it often, but one of the original best, as opposed to a front page propaganda horse that was good for a few months of her three year old campaign?

Historical perspective sinks this back to reality: a good one for three quarters of a three year old season. One that is in the record books, but not with the feminine greats.

I don't want to open another can of worms, but she was a great filly through her 3YO campaign. Her Preakness effort was also terrific. Look where Forty Niner finished (and no one argue he was a bum). She had 2 close losses to Personal Ensign in addition to her big races against colts. I think you can make a very good case she shouldn't have even been entered in the Belmont (but that's Lukas).

She was not the same filly at 4 (let alone develop any), but as was often the case Wayne Lukas continued to run her. Most other trainers would have stopped on her as soon as it was clear she wasn't the same horse.

A lot of other great horses would have had spottier long term records if their trainer was as aggressive as Lukas was in those days.

[PaceAdvantage]

Most other trainers would have stopped on her as soon as it was clear she wasn't the same horse.I don't think it's really the trainer's call when to stop on a multi-mullion dollar animal. I would guess that decision lies mostly with the owner, wouldn't you agree?

But I agree, let's not open that can here.....

[Hajck Hillstrom]

It's funny how at one's passing, good becomes great. ...I'm afraid that I have to agree with you here.

As much as I admired and appreciated this filly, I think think great might be too strong an adjective.

I would describe her as.....

Brilliant !

[Shenanigans]

...I'm afraid that I have to agree with you here.

As much as I admired and appreciated this filly, I think think great might be too strong an adjective.

I would describe her as.....

Brilliant !


That too.;) :ThmbUp:

[46zilzal]

...I'm afraid that I have to agree with you here.

As much as I admired and appreciated this filly, I think think great might be too strong an adjective.

I would describe her as.....

Brilliant !
Right there with Dr. Roman's analysis: speed favoring pedigree

[Shenanigans]

Right there with Dr. Roman's analysis: speed favoring pedigree


Haaaaaa!!!! How many pedigrees out there today don't have that???? Have you been to the sales lately????:rolleyes:

[46zilzal]

Says speed DP = 10-14-8-0-4 DI = 3.50 CD = 0.72

[Shenanigans]

Says speed DP = 10-14-8-0-4 DI = 3.50 CD = 0.72


Damn!!! She outran her dosage index!!:eek:
I have seen numerous Ky Derby winners do that.:rolleyes: Your point is?

[bigmack]

oILJ6IYoZso

[cnollfan]

Thanks for posting! Still gives me chills.

[PaceAdvantage]

Two things on that '88 Distaff clip:

1) Personal Ensign was amazing....

2) Tom Durkin's voice used to be much higher....I think you'd need him to suck down some helium in order to sound like he did in 1988....:lol:

[cj]

Will 46 post this mare to his list of Lukas horses now?

[Tom]

I think that race was the distaff equivalent of Secretariat's Belmont. It was a showcase of heart, class, and determination.

[Shenanigans]

Will 46 post this mare to his list of Lukas horses now?

Of course. According to 46, Lukas was the cause of the colic some twenty years later.:rolleyes: