Colonel John , a a number of grade 1-winning millionaire, has returned residence to WinStar Farm close to Versailles, Ky. The WinStar homebred stood at Jeju-do in South Korea since 2017 after a deal was made with the Korea Thoroughbred Breeders Affiliation.
The Tiznow colt was bred by WinStar Farm and skilled by Eoin Harty. He was retired to WinStar in 2009 with six wins from 15 begins and a bankroll of $1,779,012.
“I purchased him again from the Koreans,” mentioned Invoice Casner, WinStar’s co-founder. “I wished him again. There hasn’t actually been a day since we bought him to Korea that I hadn’t regretted shopping for the syndicate out.”
Colonel John arrived in Kentucky final week after quarantining for 2 days in Chicago. He’s at WinStar’s stallion barn and settling in effectively.
Colonel John at Winstar Farm Aug. 2024
“He is doing effectively; he clearly had a pair days the place he was drained from the journey. He is beginning to really feel himself, and trot off after we flip him out, and diving into the feed tub, that are all good indicators,” mentioned Larry McGinnis, WinStar’s stallion supervisor.
Colonel John’s most memorable efficiency got here within the 2008 Travers Stakes (G1) at Saratoga Race Course, the place he narrowly defeated Mambo in Seattle . With Travers pleasure looming this week, his return to the USA is additional particular for his workforce that shared these nice recollections 16 years in the past.
“That was an enormous day for Colonel John and an enormous day for us,” Casner mentioned. “He gained it by the width of a bank card. He bought sufficient of his nostril in entrance to face within the winner’s circle by himself.”
“That was a hard-fought Travers, it was a prepare wreck down the stretch and he simply saved going,” added McGinnis.
Nobody is happier than McGinnis to have Colonel John residence.
“I’m very excited to have him again. These days we get them in and if they do not make it, we ship them out. It was particular to get him again after we do not often get them again,” McGinnis mentioned.
“Invoice Casner was dedicated to the horse and went above and past to get him again and I admire that quite a bit.”
Colonel John’s future as a stallion is unsure, and WinStar will take it daily to see which route the 19-year-old will take. Though it was a small e book, he was nonetheless breeding mares in Korea and could be very fertile.
“He was only a actually good horse, simply an outdated buddy,” mentioned McGinnis.