Mr. and Mrs. Bertram Firestone’s WINCHESTER (Theatrical [Ire]) rallied to
catch pacesetter Tizdejavu (Tiznow) and quickly drew clear in Saturday’s
$400,000
Secretariat S. (G1), eventually winning the 1 1/4-mile turf test for
three-year-olds by 7 1/4 widening lengths. Under Rene Douglas, the Dermot Weld-trained colt registered his first stakes win with
the convincing score.
Even-money favorite Tizdejavu secured a narrow lead through a dawdling
opening quarter-mile in :25 1/5 and extended his advantage to 2 1/2 lengths
after a half-mile in :49 3/5. Winchester was saving ground along the inside in
fourth during the early stages, but he had reduced his deficit by the time the
six-furlong mark had been passed in 1:13 4/5. The Virginia-bred boldly went
after the Tizdejavu on the far turn, collaring his rival by the top of the
stretch, and Douglas took a quick look back for the competition upon hitting the
lead. Nobody was coming, and Winchester romped to the finish line, stopping the
teletimer over the good turf in 2:01 3/5.
“I had no idea about this horse,” Douglas explained. “I know Dermot Weld is
one of the top trainers in Europe. He told me he liked this horse and that was
good enough for me.”
Weld added first-time blinkers and Lasix to Westchester on Saturday, and he
was glad to have the services of Arlington Park’s leading rider.
“I put the blinkers on him and that helped,” Weld said. “Rene has beat me a
couple of times in other races so when I had the chance to get him on this horse
I took it.”
Sent off the 7-1 third choice in the nine-horse field, Winchester returned
$17, $7.60 and $3.80. Plan (Storm Cat), the 5-2 second choice, edged past
Tizdejavu in midstretch but was no match for the winner while finishing second.
He paid $5 and $2.80, and it was 2 1/2 lengths back to Tizdejavu, who gave back
$2.20 for the show. The exacta yielded $62, the trifecta $148, and the 2-3-6-1
superfecta, with the 14-1 Prime Realestate (Prime Timber) in fourth, was good
for $984. Strait of Mewsina (Ire) (Spartacus), Your Round (Distorted Humor),
Snoose Goose (Aptitude), Secret Getaway (Skip Away) and Sr. Henry (Straight Man)
rounded out the order of finish.
Winchester broke his maiden when making his second career start in April and
finished a good second in the Silver S. in his next outing. He was exiting a
pair of unplaced finishes in the Irish Derby (Ire-G1) and King Edward VII S.
(Eng-G2). Out of the Group 3-winning Rum Charger (Ire) (Spectrum), the bay colt
is a half-brother to the unraced juvenile filly Wardrobe (War Chant), and a 2008
filly by Mr. Greeley. He also has a yearling full sister. Winchester has now
earned $274,684 from his 6-2-1-0 line.
Westchester will return home to Ireland, but Weld said “don’t be surprised if
you see him back for the Breeders’ Cup Turf (G1) (at Santa Anita on October
25).”