Champion… Winning Colors died. Winner of the 1988 Kentucky Derby. RIP girl…
http://news.bloodhorse.com/viewstory.asp?id=43702&source=rss
She was a very good and sweet girl.
She was one of my all time favorite race horses.
RIP
Very sad to lose her. :sadsmile:
Awww… sad to hear the news. I loved watching her run. It’s hard to believe she was 23… it doesn’t seem like that long ago.
RIP Winning Colors
I wouldve stated her passing a bit differently, but that’s just me.
Winning Colors was euthanized Sunday morning, Feb 17th, at Lexington’s Hagyard Equine Medical Institute after complications from colic. The Eclipse winning gal who produced just 10 foals was buried at Greentree Farm in Lexington.
youtube.com 1988 Santa Anita Derby - Winning Colors utterly crushes the boys
She was just the 3rd filly to win the SA Derby, 1st since 1959; ultimately 3/5th of a second off the stakes record.
youtube.com ABC post-race kudos to Winning Colors after the Santa Anita Derby
youtube.com 1988 Kentucky Derby - Winning Colors in perfect form - becoming the 3rd and last filly to win
youtube.com 1988 Preakness post race interview with Gary Stevens - a speed duel gone bad
She’ll be missed as she was a great old gal who had some explosive speed as shown at Santa Anita and Kentucky Derby. You’ll be missed 
[QUOTE=Glimmerglass;3018462]
The Eclipse winning gal who produced just 10 foals…
([/QUOTE]
‘Just’ 10 foals?
Only a man – or perhaps, a Mormon – could make that statement.
[QUOTE=JER;3018476]
‘Just’ 10 foals?
Only a man – or perhaps, a Mormon – could make that statement.[/QUOTE]
Funny. I intended to post that she produced just one black type from her 10 foals
I just took a look at her production. Most of her ten offspring are in Japan, but she’s got a daughter at Darley, Ireland, and granddaughters in India and the Czech Republic. I’m sure she has descendants all over the world. I know she’s had one race in South Africa, and has got one doing something in Australia.
Maybe she wasn’t as big a bust in the shed as it seemed. She had one Mr. P daughter who made over 500k in Japan, and another who make over 200k and was or is in Japan.
Comments from D. Wayne although not necessarily made in reaction to her death:
“That’s a special horse in our history and our legacy,” said Lukas, who was assisted by his son Jeff when he trained Winning Colors. “She was the first one that kind of put us over the top, and started our Derby run. And I think she was the one probably kept Gene Klein interested all those years - his favorite and mine, and certainly Jeff’s too. Of all the horses that we’ve had in our stable, and we’ve been blessed with some good ones, that was probably the one that was closest to Jeff.”
One off spring to Storm Cat:
Winning Colors went through the auction ring once more, at the 1994 Keeneland November sale. Offered in foal to Storm Cat, she brought $2 million from the British Bloodstock Agency (England), with Gainesway acting as agent. The Storm Cat filly, later named Stormin Winnie, never raced.
Perhaps one of most epic filly duels seen in Breeders’ Cup history with a photo finish:
1988 BC Distaff Winning Colors vs. Personal Ensign (3 min 33 sec)
A bit of an aside regarding her grave from the Courier-Journal:
Winning Colors was buried at owner Gainesway Farm’s Greentree division in Lexington, near the graves of such greats as La Troienne and Tom Fool. Regret is buried nearby on a different part of the Gainesway property. Winning Colors’ grave is not open to the public.
:sadsmile:RIP
She was a Special One
So sad to hear colic claims another one.
She was a personal favorite of mine.
I remember being nine years old and screaming “Girls Win!” as Winning Colors crossed the wire first in the Derby. It’s one of my favorite Derby memories.
Barbara Livingston has re-arranged her gallery to highlight her photos of the mare. This one is lovely.
I have been twice to Breeder’s Cup,
and the first one was in '88. I was there when Personal Ensign beat her by an eyelash, and even tho I followed racing passively, [before computers and didn’t subscribe to DRF], I had never heard of Personal Ensign. That loss robbed Winning Colors of a lot of honor that should have been hers.
Sad cheers for her. Like so many stallions, she was perhaps better on the track.
I have some very special memories of Winning Colors as I got to be her groom for a day as I was the then swing groom. That was my first time ever working for Wayne. When it came time to doing her up, Jeff stayed in the stable with me to make sure I didn’t screw anything up. Actually Jeff was pretty good towards me. She was just an amazing mare and had so much presence about her.
Take Care Ole Girl,
Terri
Lovely pics. Sad loss of a nice mamma 
R.I.P. beautiful girl
One would always hope that a nice mare who gave so many thrills to all of us would live to old age, in a happy place. She deserved to be cared for all of her days. So sad to hear that Colic claimed her at age 19.
A great mare is now at peace.
Er, that would be 23. She was the same age as my Bashful mare. RIP, old girl.
23 years and 3 days as she was born on Valentines Day in 1985 …
