One of the all time great fillies dies

mercenary · Feb 18, 2008

I loved this horse, she was all heart and speed!!!!!

Winning Colors dies

Last-surviving filly to claim Kentucky Derby was 23

Posted: Monday February 18, 2008 8:17PM; Updated: Monday February 18, 2008 9:24PM

<SCRIPT>cnnEAUrl="";</SCRIPT><SCRIPT>function cnnEmailAlerts() {document.location.href='/alerts'+cnnEAUrl;}</SCRIPT><SCRIPT> uhref = 'http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u=' + location.href;function fbs_click() { u=location.href + '?eref=FromFacebookShare'; t=document.title; void(window.open('http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u='+encodeURIComponent(u)+'&t='+encodeURIComponent(t), 'sharer','toolbar=no,width=642,height=435')); return false;}</SCRIPT><SCRIPT language=JavaScript src="http://i.a.cnn.net/si/.element/ssi/js/2.0/clickability/button2356_1.js" type=text/javascript></SCRIPT><SCRIPT language=JavaScript> window.onerror=function(){clickURL=stripParams(document.location.href);return true;} if(!self.clickURL) clickURL=stripParams(parent.location.href); </SCRIPT><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 border=0><TBODY><TR vAlign=top><TD>

</TD><TD><SCRIPT>document.writeln();document.writeln('

');</SCRIPT>

</TD><TD></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) -- Winning Colors, the 1988 Kentucky Derby winner who was the last filly to win the race, has died, Gainesway thoroughbred farm said Monday. She was 23.
The roan mare was euthanized Sunday after a bout with colic and buried at Greentree Farm in Lexington, which is now part of Gainesway, Gainesway Vice President Charlie Aker said.
<TABLE style="MARGIN-RIGHT: 15px" cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=300 align=left border=0><TBODY><TR><TD class=cnnImgAdPad>

<SCRIPT language=JavaScript1.1>document.cnnAdInterstitial = ( document.cnnAdInterstitial == undefined ? "ist" : "" ); document.cnnAdTile = (document.cnnAdTile||0) + 1; document.cnnAdRandom = document.cnnAdRandom || Math.ceil(1+1E12*Math.random()); cnnad_createAd( "more", "spt=;", 300, 250 );</SCRIPT><SCRIPT language=JavaScript1.1 src="http://ad.doubleclick.net/adj/3475.si/more/;spt=;slug=winningcolors;slug=obit;slug=ap;path=2008;path=more;path=02;path=18;path=winningcolors_obit_ap;file=index_html;rsi=10001;dcove=d;sz=300x250;ptile=2;ord=459403542602?"></SCRIPT><SCRIPT src="http://m1.2mdn.net/879366/flashwrite_1_2.js"></SCRIPT><SCRIPT language=VBScript>dcmaxversion = 9dcminversion = 4DoOn Error Resume Nextplugin = (IsObject(CreateObject("ShockwaveFlash.ShockwaveFlash." & dcmaxversion & "")))If plugin = true Then Exit Dodcmaxversion = dcmaxversion - 1Loop While dcmaxversion >= dcminversion</SCRIPT><OBJECT id=FLASH_AD height=250 width=300 classid=clsid

27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000>

<EMBED src="http://i.cnn.net/si/ads/2007/7/5/444311fn-04-300x250.swf?clickTag=http%3A//ad.doubleclick.net/click%253Bh%3Dv8/366b/3/0/%252a/o%253B116690873%253B1-0%253B0%253B14111675%253B4307-300/250%253B21680686/21698576/1%253B%253B%257Eaopt%253D2/1/47/0%253B%257Esscs%253D%253fhttps%3A//subs.timeinc.net/CampaignHandler/si_fan_camp%3Fsource_id%3D2" quality=high wmode=opaque swLiveConnect=TRUE WIDTH="300" HEIGHT="250" bgcolor=# TYPE="application/x-shockwave-flash" AllowScriptAccess="always"></EMBED></OBJECT><NOSCRIPT></NOSCRIPT><NOSCRIPT></NOSCRIPT>
</TD></TR><TR><TD class=cnnStoryCLpad><SCRIPT type=text/javascript>adsonar_placementId=1292995;adsonar_pid=770769;adsonar_ps=-1;adsonar_zw=300;adsonar_zh=175;</SCRIPT><SCRIPT>cnnad_createSL();</SCRIPT><SCRIPT language=JavaScript src="http://js.adsonar.com/js/tw_cnn_adsonar.js"></SCRIPT><FORM id=qas_frm name=qas_frm action="" method=get target=""><INPUT type=hidden name=ie52_mac_only></FORM><IFRAME id=adsonar_serve21975 name=adsonar_serve21975 marginWidth=0 marginHeight=0 src="http://ads.tw.adsonar.com/adserving/getAds.jsp?previousPlacementIds=&placementId=1292995&pid=770769&ps=-1&zw=300&zh=175&url=http%3A//sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/more/02/18/winningcolors.obit.ap/index.html&v=5&dct=SI.com%20-%20More%20Sports%20-%20%278-%20February%2018%2C%202008%208%3A23PM&ref=http%3A//sportsillustrated.cnn.com/" frameBorder=0 width=300 scrolling=no height=175></IFRAME></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>As a 3-year-old, Winning Colors thrilled Derby watchers when she led wire to wire under Gary Stevens, defeating Forty Niner. She also won the Grade I Santa Anita Derby and Santa Anita Oaks that1,526,837, the farm said.
Her win at Santa Anita helped Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas, who bought Winning Colors as a yearling at Keeneland for the late Eugene Klein, decide she could compete with the colts at the Derby.
"She started out dominating competition in her own sex pretty handily, and we then decided that we would step out of the box and try her in the Santa Anita Derby," he told The Associated Press on Monday night.
"When she won ... she was one of the best 3-year-olds in the nation," he said. "From there, we decided we were going to try it."
She was the third filly to win the Derby, after Regret in 1915 and Genuine Risk in 1980.
Gainesway purchased her in 1989 for $4 million, one of the farm's first big broodmare purchases, Aker said.
She left a 2-year-old by Orientate in training and a yearling filly by Mr. Greeley at the farm, Gainesway general manager Neil Howard said.
Her Derby win was "really special" to Lukas. She was the first of four Derby winners for him.
"The Derby winner always captivates the imagination of the race fan," he said. "But being a filly and beating the colts made it even sweeter."
One of Winning Colors' second-place finishes was in the 1988 Breeders' Cup Distaff, where she led until the end, when Personal Ensign edged ahead to win by inches and retire undefeated in 13 starts.
"If you look back through the history books, (that is) one of the great races of all times," Lukas said.

wilheim · Feb 19, 2008

Thinking of the great filly Winning Colors brings to mind owner Gene Klein.

Gene Klein was a colorful character himself in the world of sports back when. Starting in the mid sixties Klein who was a founding partner of the Seattle Sonics of the NBA and more importantly owner of the San Diego Chargers of the NFL from 1966 to 1984.

Klein also loved horse racing and owed some big time horses in his day with Winning Colors possibly being his most sucessful and most beloved. Winning colors finished in the money in 30 or her 31 starts
winning over $1,500,000 in purses. She won 19 of the 31 starts with 8 seconds, 3 thirds and a single 4th.

Regarding Gene Klein during his time with the San Diego Chargers.
Klein became involved in a much publicized feud with Raiders owner Al Davis, then the Los Angeles Raiders. Their differences resulted in a lawsuit in which a San Diego Superior Court jury held Davis responsible for a heart attack Klein suffered in 1981. The verdict was overturned on appeal. (Al Davis has that effect on people).

While he was the owner of the San Diego Chargers in the mid 1970s he hired coach Don Coryell and assembled high scoring and very entertaining teams that kept people fascinated. His greatest players being QB Dan Fouts, Prototype of the modern tight end Kellen Winslow, plus bookend wideouts Wes Chandler and John Jefferson. Those were some very exciting and fun to watch Charger teams.

In 1984, Gene Klein sold his interest in the San Diego Chargers to current owner Alex Spanos at an enormous profit.

His sucess in throughbred horse racing is notable among Klein's more famous Thoroughbreds are:

Tank's Prospect - 1985, won the Preakness Stakes and was a very sucessful sire for years later. Tank's Prospect had the great Native Dancer, Nashua and even Man O' War in his bloodline.

Lady's Secret - 1986, voted the Eclipse Award for Horse of the Year.
Inducted into the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame in 1992.

Winning Colors - 1988, became only the third filly in history to win the Kentucky Derby.
Voted 1988 Eclipse Award for Outstanding Three-Year-Old Filly.
Inducted into the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame in 2000.

Open Mind - 1988, won Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies, voted Eclipse Award for Outstanding
Two-Year-Old Filly. 1989, voted Eclipse Award for Outstanding Three-Year-Old Filly.

Gene Klein also did well in Breeders up racing with seven BC wins:
Breeders' Cup Juvenile:
Capote (1986)
Success Express (1987)
Is It True (1988)
Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies:
Twilight Ridge (1985)
Open Mind (1988)

Breeders' Cup Distaff:
Life's Magic (1985)
Lady's Secret (1986)

In just seven years of racing, Gene Klein raced six champions,two of which are in the Hall of Fame, and earned a total of eleven Eclipse awards,including being personally voted the Eclipse Award
for Outstanding Breeder three years running from 1985 to 1987.

Gene Klein was a benefactor to a number of charities and was a major donor to the The Scripps Research Institute in San Diego.

Gene Klein died on March 12th. 1990.

If you ever get a chance read Klein's book "First Down and a Billion: The Funny Business of Pro Football". A book about pro football from the owner's point of view. A lifelong football fan, nothing escapes his pen including head coaches, agents, lawsuits, players, the college draft, and the drug problem in pro sports during his day.

However it is his fellow owners, especially archenemy Al Davis,who are thoroughly lambasted in this very readable, nonstop account that will have you laughing out loud.

Still available on Amazon in paperback..

wil..

Betallsports · Feb 19, 2008

She was Truly an Amazing Filly ! I remember the time when she raced in the Breeders Cup Distaff. She Just got Beat by Personal Ensign in a very Slopply track. It was like a C U * T hair.

It is a Shame that she died like this...Colic is the # 1 Killer with Horses.

wilheim · Feb 19, 2008

Watch Winning Colors get run down by what was later described as a "lip" by Personal Ensign in the 1988 BC Distaff. After the race, Winning Colors' trainer D. Wayne Lukas said that she had run the best race of her career.

<object width="425" height="355"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/xjBUOKiMQNo&rel=1"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/xjBUOKiMQNo&rel=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="355"></embed></object>

wilheim · Feb 19, 2008

The 1988 Kentucky Derby won by the amazing filly, Winning Colors, in a terrific wire-to-wire performance over the boys. Easily held off late charge by 49er. That is a grey haired , grey suited Gene Klein celebrating abround the 2:12 mark with his arms raised in triumph.
<object width="425" height="355"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/ykEb2qZ-aDA&rel=1"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/ykEb2qZ-aDA&rel=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="355"></embed></object>

ramonscottsports · Feb 19, 2008

Al Davis killed Gene Klein

wilheim · Feb 19, 2008

ramonscottsports - Exerpt from my post above - post #2.

Regarding Gene Klein during his time with the San Diego Chargers.
Klein became involved in a much publicized feud with Raiders owner Al Davis, then the Los Angeles Raiders. Their differences resulted in a lawsuit in which a San Diego Superior Court jury held Davis responsible for a heart attack Klein suffered in 1981. The verdict was overturned on appeal. (Al Davis has that effect on people).

Gene Klein got the last laugh though at Davis's expense in his book "First Down and a Billion: The Funny Business of Pro Football". He really lays it to Davis in the book. Gene Klein never completely recovered from the 1981 heart attack that a San Diego Superior Court ruled was caused by the machinations of Al Davis and awarded $33Million. Unfortunately the verdict was overturned on appeal.

wil..